Antonelli tops Spanish GP second practice as Lindblad crashes

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli recorded the quickest lap in the second practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix, edging out Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Antonelli posted a 1:33.662 on medium tyres before improving to 1:33.662 on softs, securing the top spot ahead of Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen briefly led before Antonelli reclaimed the lead, while teammate George Russell stayed within a tenth of the pace. The session saw several drivers struggle with the circuit's narrow, concrete-lined sections, and Turn 17 caused multiple track-limits violations.

Racing Bulls' British rookie Arvid Lindblad crashed into the barriers at Turn 13, prompting a red flag. He was unhurt and the session resumed after marshals cleared the TecPro barrier. The interruption halted further changes at the front of the field.

McLaren's Lando Norris retired early with a gearbox problem, and Oscar Piastri was the highest-placed McLaren in seventh. Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon and Liam Lawson completed the top ten. Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso finished 16th and 17th after modest runs.

"The track is extremely demanding, and drivers are still getting a feel for the limits," a team spokesperson said.

The session highlighted the difficulty of maintaining tyre temperature on the soft compound, as teams worked to optimise performance on the challenging Madrid layout.