Two major crashes forced a red flag and lengthy delays during Spanish Grand Prix practice. Lewis Hamilton and Oliver Bearman both lost control on the new Madrid track. Teams now face a race against time to repair their cars before qualifying.
Final practice for the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid was cut short after crashes from Lewis Hamilton and Oliver Bearman brought the session to a halt. Both incidents happened on the new Madring circuit, which drivers had already criticized for its risky corners and lack of room for mistakes.
Hamilton was the first to go off, sliding his Ferrari into the barriers at the final corner about halfway through the session. The crash destroyed his front wing. He tried to get the car back to the pits, ignoring Ferrari’s calls to stop, but eventually had to abandon it. The session was suspended for barrier repairs, and the delay was long enough that race control stopped the clock—an unusual move in Formula 1 practice. Official reports from Formula1.com and the FIA confirmed the red flag was needed for urgent repairs after Hamilton’s impact at the last turn.
"In FP2, a red flag was already shown after Arvid Lindblad crashed, highlighting the high risk of the new Madring circuit from the very start of the race weekend."
Independent race reports
When practice finally resumed with 15 minutes left, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap, beating Charles Leclerc’s earlier time by 0.166 seconds. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in their McLarens took third and fourth, with Max Verstappen and George Russell rounding out the top six. Hamilton, whose best time came before his crash, ended up ninth. The late restart meant most drivers had little chance to complete longer runs, and Antonelli’s lap stood as the session’s best.
The session didn’t finish cleanly. With only a few minutes to go, Oliver Bearman spun his Haas into the barriers at Turn 10, ending practice early. Both Ferrari and Haas crews were left with major repairs to finish before qualifying. Alex Albon’s Williams stayed in the garage for the final run, hinting at more technical trouble for his team. According to ESPN and Formula1.com, Bearman’s crash at Turn 10 caused heavy damage to the left side of his car, leaving Haas with little time to get it ready.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll will start from the back after taking a new engine and exceeding his season’s allocation. The mix of crashes, red flags, and penalties has shaken up the usual order and left teams with little certainty heading into qualifying.
"Independent analyses from The Race and Formula1.com describe the new Madrid circuit as particularly unforgiving, with dangerous sections at Turn 10 and the final corner—precisely where both major incidents occurred in FP3. The track's grip limits and lack of run-off areas have been a concern for drivers and teams throughout the weekend."
The Race and Formula1.com
George Russell had warned earlier about the "very high risk" of the Madring circuit, and the crashes in final practice proved his point. The tight layout and limited run-off punished even experienced drivers, raising questions about safety and car setup for the rest of the weekend. With qualifying just hours away, teams are under pressure to recover. The events of final practice have already changed the outlook for the Madrid Grand Prix, and the real test of the new circuit is still to come.
