McLaren’s Oscar Piastri recorded the fastest lap during Friday’s second practice session at the 2025 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, setting a new benchmark halfway through the hour-long run. Closely following him was Mercedes’ George Russell, who maintained a strong pace to finish second fastest as teams focused on refining their setups.
Session Highlights and Early Leaders
The session began strongly with Lando Norris, Piastri’s McLaren teammate, quickly surpassing his earlier Friday time by recording a 1m13.636s on medium tires. Norris initially led the session ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Piastri himself. However, Mercedes’ George Russell pushed ahead after 15 minutes, posting a lap time of 1m13.501s that soon improved to 1m13.046s using Pirelli’s softest tire compound.
Russell’s performance was matched by his teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who stayed just a quarter of a second behind. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris both set identical lap times of 1m13.070s, trailing Russell by a mere 0.024 seconds, before Piastri unleashed a faster lap to seize the top spot.
Piastri Holds onto Top Spot as Focus Shifts to Long Runs
Oscar Piastri’s timely soft-tyre lap of 1m12.760s remained unbeaten throughout the remainder of the session, securing McLaren’s lead on the timesheets. He finished 0.286 seconds clear of George Russell, while Verstappen and Norris were tied for third place, 0.310 seconds behind Piastri’s best effort. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc climbed to fifth after outperforming Mercedes’ Antonelli.
Fernando Alonso delivered an encouraging performance for Aston Martin, placing seventh in front of his home fans, closely followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. Completing the top ten were Racing Bulls drivers Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson, illustrating depth within the midfield battle.
Incidents and Team Performances
The only notable incident occurred early in FP2 when Oliver Bearman of Haas spun at Turn 3, sliding into the gravel. The British driver required repairs in the garage and ultimately finished the session in 19th position, ahead only of Alpine’s Franco Colapinto. Despite this setback, Bearman’s FP2 performance provided valuable track time as teams continue preparations for qualifying and the race.
FP2 Timing Overview
The session results highlight a tight competition among the frontrunners, with Piastri’s leading lap of 1m12.760s setting the pace. Russell recorded a close 1m13.046s, followed by Verstappen and Norris who both posted 1m13.070s. The close margins indicate a highly competitive field as teams look to optimize their race strategies for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix.
Looking Ahead to Qualifying and Race Day
With Oscar Piastri demonstrating strong pace and George Russell providing a competitive challenge, the Spanish Grand Prix grid appears poised for an intense battle. The promising results from Fernando Alonso and other midfield contenders add intrigue as home fans gather to support their heroes. Teams will analyze the long-run data collected during FP2 to finalize setups, while drivers aim to carry this momentum into qualifying.