Full Breakdown
Antonelli Tops FP2 at Madrid’s New Madring Circuit
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 11 the second free-practice (FP2) for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix saw Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli record the fastest lap of 1:33.662 on the Soft C4 tyre, edging Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.113 seconds and Lewis Hamilton by 0.149 seconds. The session was interrupted by a red flag after Arvid Lindblad crashed at Turn 13, but the top-three order remained unchanged when running resumed.
Background & Context
The Spanish Grand Prix returned to Madrid for the first time since 1981, debuting the 5.4-km “Madring” street-plus-purpose-built circuit. It is the first new F1 venue since Las Vegas in 2023 and marks the final round of the European season. Antonelli entered the weekend as championship leader, holding a 66-point advantage over teammate George Russell after a home-race win at Monza. Teams relied on simulator work to set up cars for a track described as “car-killer” by several drivers.
Data & Statistics
- Fastest lap: Antonelli 1:33.662 (Soft C4) – Pirelli.
- Gap to 2nd: Leclerc +0.113 s; Gap to 3rd: Hamilton +0.149 s.
- Top-10: Lindblad 4th (+0.228 s), Russell 5th (+0.337 s), Verstappen 6th (+0.401 s), Piastri 7th (+0.538 s), Tsunoda 8th (+1.096 s), Ocon 9th (+1.205 s), Lawson 10th (+1.276 s).
- Track length: 5.416 km, 22 corners, including the 550-m “La Monumental” banked curve.
- Temperatures: Track peaked at 51 °C and ambient air reached 32 °C.
- Tyre usage: Soft compound accounted for the quickest laps; medium tyres made up 58 % of total laps.
Official Statements & Responses
Ferrari’s engineers said their medium-compound setup performed well in the early sector but struggled on the final, more technical portion of the lap. Red Bull’s team principal noted the squad was “still exploring” the new surface and tyre behaviour.
On-the-Ground Reports
British rookie Arvid Lindblad lost rear grip at Turn 13, slid into the TecPro barrier and was unharmed, but his crash caused a ?15-minute stoppage. Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak (F2) suffered a fire after hitting barriers, escaping without injury. Lando Norris retired early due to a gearbox failure, while Fernando Alonso missed part of FP2 because of a clutch problem. The session resumed with most drivers on soft tyres, but the narrow layout limited overtaking opportunities.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ by a 0.001-second margin on Antonelli’s top time (some list 1:33.662, others 1:33.661). No official clarification has been issued, leaving a minor discrepancy in the record. Precise allocation of hard tyres beyond the two isolated runs remains undocumented.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It is a very cool circuit to drive around,” — Kimi Antonelli
- “Overtaking is likely going to be a real challenge,” — Kimi Antonelli
- “He needs to learn and understand why it works so well for Kimi,” — Juan Pablo Montoya
What’s Next
Qualifying is scheduled for September 12, with the race set for September 13. Teams will aim to refine setups for the demanding “La Monumental” corner and manage tyre degradation ahead of a weekend that could reshape the championship battle.