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Max Verstappen finished sixth in Spanish Grand Prix practice, four-tenths behind Kimi Antonelli.
Max Verstappen is currently sixth in the F1 2026 standings. (AP Photo)
Max Verstappen emerged from Friday’s running at the Spanish Grand Prix with little enthusiasm for the new Madring layout, although he was not surprised by Red Bull’s pace. The four-time champion ended FP2 sixth fastest, four-tenths behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who topped the session.
Verstappen had already described the new hybrid street circuit on the outskirts of Madrid as “challenging”, and his verdict on street circuits remained unchanged.
“I’m not a fan of street circuits. That will never change. And I will always prefer to drive on a track like Spa (in Belgium). But what they have done in the way they have built everything up, I think they’ve done a really good job. But I am not a fan of street circuits,” he said.
Verstappen‘s sixth-place finish, he suggested, was broadly representative of Red Bull’s current performance rather than a major surprise after the opening two hours.
“From our side, it’s more or less where we are. We just need to work a little bit more on the balance and try to get more out one lap and then see how the tyres hold up on the long run, but I guess everyone is in the same boat,” he said.
The day’s order was dominated by Mercedes and Ferrari, with Antonelli leading Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad produced one of the standout performances of the session, ending fourth fastest, ahead of George Russell in the second Mercedes and Verstappen.
Lindblad’s pace came despite being involved in the day’s only red-flag incident. The rookie crashed during FP2, providing a rare interruption to what had otherwise been a notably clean day.
Behind Verstappen, Oscar Piastri was seventh, while Red Bull’s Liam Lawson finished 10th. Lawson is standing in for the injured Isack Hadjar.
McLaren, meanwhile, lost a significant amount of running with Lando Norris. The championship contender completed just two laps in FP2 before returning to the pits for a gearbox change.
“That’s a big setback for him,” said McLaren technical director Mark Temple. “Going into FP3, we’ll be trying to do as much as we can to give him back track time.”
Quick Answers
Ask News18Max Verstappen stated he is “not a fan” of the new Madrid street circuit, reiterating that he will always prefer traditional tracks like Spa in Belgium. However, he did praise the organizers, noting that they did a “really good job” with how they built everything up.
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Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
September 12, 2026, 11:08 IST
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