McLaren's Lando Norris took pole in the qualifying race after seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton crashed his Ferrari during the final practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid's challenging new circuit.
Key Points
- Lando Norris finished in the front row in qualifying at the Spanish F1 GP.
- Lewis Hamilton crashed his Ferrari during the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, causing a red flag.
- The seven-times world champion locked up and hit the barriers at the final corner, damaging his car and puncturing a tyre.
- Hamilton initially ignored team instructions to stop, attempting to return to the pits before eventually pulling over.
- The incident highlighted the challenging nature of the new Madrid circuit, which George Russell described as having less margin for error than Monaco.
McLaren's reigning world champion Lando Norris took pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid's new Formula One circuit on Saturday.
Mercedes' 20-year-old championship leader Kimi Antonelli joined the Briton on the front row at the Madring with Max Verstappen third fastest for Red Bull and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton fourth.
Hamilton Crashes Ferrari In Final Practice
Lewis Hamilton crashed his Ferrari in final practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid's new Formula One circuit on Saturday, bringing the session to a halt with just over half an hour remaining. The seven-times world champion locked up and went into the barriers at the final corner.
Hamilton's On-Track Incident
He managed to reverse out and tried to get the damaged Ferrari back to the Madring pitlane, virtually a whole lap, while ignoring team instructions to stop. The Briton eventually did pull over, with the front wing still wedged under the car which also had a punctured front right tyre. "Stop the car. Stop in the safest place possible," he had been told earlier. "If I can make it back I will. If not, I will do it safely," replied Hamilton, who returned to the pits on the back of a moped after parking up.
Impact on Practice and Qualifying
The session was red-flagged and the clock then temporarily stopped for barrier repairs with 15 minutes to go. Qualifying later on Saturday will be crucial for Sunday's race, with overtaking likely to be difficult on the challenging layout that Mercedes' George Russell said on Friday had less margin for error than Monaco because of the close walls but higher speeds involved. Hamilton was fourth fastest at the time of the crash, with teammate Charles Leclerc top of the timesheets.
When it re-started, Antonelli knocked Ferrari's Charles Leclerc off the top of the timesheets with a time of one minute and 32.797 seconds, 0.166 quicker than the Monegasque.
Antonelli is 66 points clear of teammate and closest rival George Russell after 13 rounds.
Haas's Bearman then brought out the red flags again in the final minute when he spun and hit the barriers backwards at Turn 11, the approach to La Monumental, the circuit's banked signature curve.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri was third quickest ahead of reigning champion and teammate Lando Norris with Red Bull's Max Verstappen fifth and Russell sixth.
Red Bull's Liam Lawson and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg were seventh and eighth, with Hamilton ninth and Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto completing the top 10.
Sunday's race will be a test for the drivers, with overtaking likely to be difficult on a challenging layout that Russell said on Friday had less margin for error than Monaco because of the close walls but higher speeds involved.
"Nobody really knows what to expect. The session was tight. It’s about putting a lap together without mistakes and traffic," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
