McLaren Leads Second Practice at Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen Second
Lando Norris set the fastest time in Friday's sessions in Barcelona, beating Max Verstappen by 0.128 seconds. Carlos Sainz was third, while Lewis Hamilton was only seventh.
McLaren Leads Second Practice at Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen Second
Main Event
The second free practice session (FP2) of the Spanish Grand Prix, held at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit on Friday, June 5, 2026, ended with a surprise. McLaren driver Lando Norris posted the best time of the day, completing a lap in 1 minute 17.643 seconds, leaving four-time world champion Max Verstappen in his Red Bull behind. The Dutch driver's gap was just 0.128 seconds, making the fight for pole position in Saturday's qualifying extremely tense.
The session began with traditional "sighting" laps on hard and medium tires, but the main action unfolded in the second half when teams switched to qualifying simulations. Norris, who gradually gained confidence on the track, executed his fast lap perfectly. He managed to navigate the tricky complex of turns 3 and 4, where even experienced drivers often lose time, without the slightest mistake, which sealed his success.
Verstappen, who had been leading the timesheets for a long time, made a small mistake in the final sector on his fast lap, losing those 0.128 seconds. Nevertheless, the Dutchman looked confident, and his gap cannot be called a failure—rather, it is a signal for Red Bull engineers to make minor setup adjustments before qualifying.
Third place, with a significant gap, went to Spanish Williams driver Carlos Sainz, for whom the home race holds special significance. Although his time was more than half a second off the leader, Sainz looked consistently fast on long runs, which could be his ace in Sunday's race. For local fans, Sainz's performance became the main hope for a top-5 starting grid spot.
Details and Statistics
The second practice provided rich material for analysis not only for the leaders but also for the midfield. Right behind Sainz was George Russell in the Mercedes, who posted the fourth-fastest time. His teammate, rising star Andrea Kimi Antonelli, finished sixth. Russell, an experienced and cool-headed driver, is traditionally strong on tracks requiring high aerodynamic efficiency, such as Catalunya.
Particular attention should be paid to the gap within Ferrari. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who moved to the Italian team this year, posted only the seventh-fastest time, losing not only to his teammate Charles Leclerc (fifth place) but also to drivers from Aston Martin and RB. Hamilton complained over the radio about insufficient rear downforce and strong front tire vibration on the long straights. His time of 1:17.692 was almost 0.5 seconds off Norris's best lap—a huge handicap for a driver of his caliber.
FP2 timesheet in Barcelona on June 5, 2026 (Top 10):
- L. Norris (McLaren) — 1:17.643
- M. Verstappen (Red Bull) — +0.128
- C. Sainz (Williams) — +0.296
- G. Russell (Mercedes) — +0.437
- C. Leclerc (Ferrari) — +0.498
- A. K. Antonelli (Mercedes) — +0.511
- L. Hamilton (Ferrari) — +0.547
- F. Alonso (Aston Martin) — +0.571
- L. Lawson (RB) — +0.575
- O. Piastri (McLaren) — +0.589
Source: Motorsport.com
Interestingly, Norris's McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri posted only the 12th-fastest time, more than a second behind. The Australian was clearly experimenting with front suspension settings and could not put together a fast lap, but his long-run pace was comparable to the leaders. Also notable was Aston Martin's failure: two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, another local hero, finished only eighth with a large gap.
Context and Significance
This Spanish Grand Prix holds special significance for several reasons. First, the 4.657-kilometer Barcelona-Catalunya circuit is a benchmark for Formula 1 engineers. It combines long straights, medium-speed corners, and slow chicanes, allowing the true balance of the car to be assessed. It is here that hidden aerodynamic issues, invisible on other tracks, often come to light. A team that is fast in Barcelona is generally fast everywhere for the rest of the season.
Second, this is the last Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona in its familiar format—starting next year, the race moves to a new street circuit, "Madring," in the capital. Therefore, for Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, this is a farewell to the home track where they began their careers. The emotional backdrop for the Spanish drivers is off the charts, and their strong performance on Friday is the best proof of that.
As for the championship race, the situation in the drivers' standings is extremely tense. Before the Spanish round, George Russell leads in the Mercedes with 51 points, followed by his teammate Antonelli with 47 points, and Charles Leclerc is third with 34 points. Max Verstappen, who won four consecutive championships from 2021 to 2024, is currently only seventh this season with 43 points. Norris, one of the main title contenders, has 58 points, but the statistics are based on previous races.
FP2 showed that Red Bull no longer has the dominance it once had. The emergence of McLaren and Mercedes at the front, as well as Williams's progress, makes this weekend extremely unpredictable. For Hamilton, this is another heavy blow to his ambitions—the Friday failure casts doubt on his ability to fight for the podium on Sunday, unless Ferrari finds a radical solution to the problem by qualifying.
What's Next / Preview of the Next Session
The next key event of the weekend will be qualifying, which takes place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 4:00 PM local time (5:00 PM MSK). It will set the grid for Sunday's race. Given the tiny gap between Norris and Verstappen in second practice, the fight for pole promises to be thrilling. It is expected that in qualifying, drivers will extract the maximum from their cars, using new soft tires and minimal fuel.
After FP2, teams will hold the third free practice session (FP3) on Saturday morning, starting at 12:30 PM local time. This session will be the last chance for Ferrari engineers to solve Lewis Hamilton's problems and for Red Bull to fine-tune the setup for weather conditions. The weather forecast for the weekend promises sunny and dry conditions with no rain, eliminating the "rain lottery" factor and placing the emphasis solely on pure car speed.
The race distance of the Spanish Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, June 14, 2026, and will consist of 66 laps. This is one of the longest distances on the calendar, requiring drivers not only speed but also careful tire management. Traditionally, Catalunya is considered a track where overtaking is difficult, but the introduction of DRS on the main straight (start-finish) and the straight between turns 3 and 4 provides opportunities for attacks.
For viewers and analysts, the main intrigue is whether Lando Norris can convert his one-lap speed into an advantage over the race distance. McLaren's long runs on Friday looked promising, but Red Bull with Verstappen is traditionally strong in tire management. If McLaren takes pole in qualifying, it will be a loud statement about a change of hegemony in Formula 1.
Editorial Forecast
Based on Friday's session data, our editorial team makes a cautious but reasoned forecast for the rest of the weekend. We believe that Max Verstappen remains the favorite for qualifying, despite being 0.128 seconds behind Norris. The four-time world champion and his Red Bull team have a proven ability to improve from session to session faster than their competitors. Most likely, engineers will find those 0.2 seconds through engine and suspension settings by Saturday.
Nevertheless, Sunday's race could bring a surprise. Lando Norris in the McLaren demonstrated the best car handling on medium tires during long runs. If he stays ahead after the first stint, Verstappen could face serious problems maintaining the pace over the distance. The key factor will be pit stop strategy—McLaren has noticeably improved its pit stop efficiency this season, matching the leaders.
Carlos Sainz, who took third place, is the main candidate for either a retirement or a sensation. The psychological pressure of the last race on his home track in Barcelona could either give him wings or lead to a mistake. However, his consistent long-run pace suggests that a spectacular fight for the podium between him, Leclerc, and Russell is inevitable.
As for Hamilton, our forecast for him is pessimistic. A half-second gap to the leader on a track where pure aerodynamics matter cannot be overcome overnight. Most likely, the Briton will qualify around 8th-9th place, and in the race, his main task will be to avoid getting caught in the midfield "train" and fight for a top-five finish, which would be a success for Ferrari this weekend.
Final forecast: Verstappen win, Podium: Norris and Sainz. The fastest lap will likely go to one of the pursuers trying to catch the leader on fresh tires at the end of the race. Don't miss qualifying on Saturday—it will set the tone for the entire Sunday showdown.
— Editorial Team
