Spanish GP: Oscar Piastri tops Practice Two for McLaren as Ferrari struggle amid introduction of new wing rules
Oscar Piastri ensures McLaren top both Friday practice sessions in Barcelona; championship-leading squad and driver impress despite new flexi-wing regulations; watch Spanish Grand Prix qualifying live on Sky Sports F1 at 3pm on Saturday, with the race live at 2pm on Sunday
Friday 30 May 2025 23:24, UK
Oscar Piastri comfortably topped second practice at the Spanish Grand Prix as McLaren continued to impress despite a clampdown on flexi front wings.
After his McLaren team-mate Lando Norris topped the opening session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya earlier on Friday, world championship leader Piastri improved the weekend's benchmark time by just over a second as he delivered a 1:12.760 in the scorching hot conditions.
As had been the case in Practice One, McLaren failed to secure a one-two, with George Russell showing encouraging pace for Mercedes to take second, albeit almost three tenths of a second back from Piastri.
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Red Bull's Max Verstappen took third ahead of Norris, with the pair setting identical times to finish just over three tenths off the pace.
Charles Leclerc was exactly half a second off the leading time in fifth as Ferrari struggled to balance their car, with Lewis Hamilton experiencing even more difficultly as he described the SF-25 as "undriveable" on his way to finishing 11th.
The event had been preceded by much discussion about how the introduction of stricter regulations on the flexing of front wings - announced back in January - could impact the pecking order but the early signs were that McLaren remain the class of the field.
The Woking squad have won six of the opening eight races of the season and Friday's strong showing will only serve to heighten expectations that Piastri - and Norris, who trails his team-mate by three points at the top of the standings - will ultimately contest a two-horse race for the title.
The only remaining threat to total McLaren domination remains Verstappen, who is 25 points back from Piastri in the standings and offered a reminder of his ability to punish any errors as he finished second and third in Friday's sessions.
After a disappointing start to the season, Ferrari had expressed most hope of the rule changes having a significant impact, but team principal Fred Vasseur's claims of a possible "gamechanger" looked to be well wide of the mark on Friday.
Sky Sports F1 pundit Nico Rosberg, who won the 2016 title as Hamilton's team-mate at Mercedes, expressed sympathy for the seven-time world champion.
Rosberg, who was watching the cars from trackside, said: "Oh my goodness! Poor Lewis Hamilton. That car is a handful. It has the biggest understeer and it has the biggest snap oversteer.
"I really feel for him at the moment."
The most dramatic moment of the session came as Britain's Oliver Bearman lost control of his Haas at Turn Three, spinning into the gravel and ultimately doing well to regain some control of his car and avoid the barriers.
Sky Sports F1's Spanish GP schedule
Saturday May 31
9am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Spanish GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Spanish GP Qualifying build-up*
3pm: SPANISH GP QUALIFYING*
Sunday June 1
7.25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Spanish GP build-up*
2pm: The SPANISH GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Spanish GP reaction
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
F1's European triple header concludes with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona this weekend, with live coverage on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW - no contract, cancel anytime.
