Formula 1: Mercedes and McLaren Show Promise in Spanish Grand Prix Practice Sessions
The Spanish Grand Prix practice sessions saw Mercedes and McLaren emerge as strong contenders, with Lewis Hamilton topping the leaderboard in FP2 and Lando Norris setting the pace in FP1.
Hamilton’s lap time of 1:13.264 in FP2 was a tidy effort, showcasing the Mercedes’ pace on the medium and hard compound tyres. Teammate George Russell was not far behind, finishing eighth in FP2. The Silver Arrows’ performance suggests they have taken a step forward with their updates, and they are confident of being in the mix for qualifying.
“We have taken a step forward with the car in recent races,” Hamilton said. “Everyone has worked so hard to get us to this point and make those incremental gains. We’re starting to see that feed through to our performance on track.”
McLaren’s Norris was impressive in FP1, setting the fastest time of 1:14.228 on the soft tyre. He followed it up with a strong third-place finish in FP2, just 0.055 seconds behind Hamilton. Teammate Oscar Piastri was a few tenths off the pace, but still looked competitive.
“A positive day in hot conditions,” Norris said. “It was difficult to get the perfect balance, which I think is the same for everyone, but overall, I felt comfortable with the car today.”
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was second-fastest in FP2, just 0.022 seconds behind Hamilton, while Charles Leclerc struggled with balance issues and finished sixth. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fifth-fastest, but seemed more content than in recent Fridays.
“It’s been a positive day,” Verstappen said. “We just tried a few set-ups out there in FP1 and FP2, and we have been trying to fine-tune the car a little bit.”
The midfield battle looks intense, with Williams, AlphaTauri, and Alfa Romeo all showing flashes of pace. The Spanish Grand Prix qualifying session promises to be a closely contested affair, with several teams in the mix for a strong result.
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