Antonelli tops final practice as Hamilton crash shakes up Spanish GP qualifying

Madrid, March 29, 2025 — Kimi Antonelli continued his dominance at the newly built Madring circuit on Saturday morning, clocking the fastest time in final practice ahead of the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix qualifying. The 18-year-old Mercedes junior driver set a 1:15.782 on soft tires, edging Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.187 seconds. However, the session was overshadowed by a heavy crash for Lewis Hamilton, who walked away unharmed but left his Mercedes garage with a major repair job.

Antonelli’s performance confirms his adaptation to the track is near-flawless. The Italian rookie, who topped both Friday practices, has shown remarkable consistency on the 5.4 km layout. “The car feels connected. Every corner I can push,” Antonelli said post-session. His lap was clean, with no traffic or mistakes — a statement of intent from the youngest driver on the grid.

Hamilton’s crash occurred at Turn 9, a high-speed left-hander. The seven-time champion reported a sudden loss of rear grip, resulting in a spin and heavy impact against the barriers. The red flag delayed the session for 12 minutes. Mercedes confirmed the chassis and rear suspension are damaged, and the team is now facing a race against time to repair Hamilton’s car before qualifying. Sources inside the team suggest they have a spare chassis spare, but complete rebuilds typically take two to three hours.

This twist adds unpredictability to the qualifying picture. Hamilton, who was sixth fastest before his crash, may be forced to use a new chassis, potentially incurring a pit lane start if changes violate parc fermé rules. However, regulations allow chassis swaps without penalty before qualifying, provided the replacement is identical and no other components are changed. Mercedes is expected to confirm their plan within the next hour.

Meanwhile, Verstappen signaled his usual race pace. The reigning champion focused his FP3 runs on heavy fuel simulations mid-session, and his time came on a later set of soft tires. “We are closer than yesterday, but Antonelli’s one-lap pace surprised us,” Verstappen admitted. Red Bull’s strategy team is considering different tire compounds for Q3, given lower-than-expected track temperatures.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third (+0.248s), but reported understeer issues at low speed. McLaren’s Lando Norris took fourth, with teammate Oscar Piastri fifth. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, racing on home soil at the Madrid track, managed only seventh. “The track is still evolving. We lost time in the middle sector,” Alonso noted.

The Madring circuit, built specifically for Madrid’s 10-year hosting contract, offers a unique blend of long straights and technical infield sections. Track evolution has been significant — times dropped by over a second from Friday to Saturday morning. However, dust from the adjacent construction zone has created grip challenges, especially for early laps.

Qualifying is scheduled for 15:00 local time (GMT+2). The key storyline: Can Antonelli convert practice form into pole position? His teammate Hamilton’s crash might shift team strategy — but Mercedes will likely let Antonelli race freely. “We never want to lose one car, but Kimi has a real shot today,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said.

Weather forecasts show sunny conditions, with track temperatures around 38°C. No rain is expected. If Antonelli takes pole, he would become the youngest polesitter in F1 history, surpassing Sebastian Vettel’s record (2008 Italian GP, 21 years, 72 days). Antonelli will turn 19 in August.

Additional context: The Spanish Grand Prix moved from Barcelona to Madrid this year, ending a 34-year run at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The move has drawn mixed reactions from drivers, but early data shows the Madring layout encourages closer racing.

For teams, the qualifying session will also test the latest aerodynamics package introduced by several squads. Alpine, for example, debuted a revised floor in FP3 that gave Pierre Gasly an 11th-fastest time — a promising step for a team struggling for top-10 pace.

As the pit lane prepares for the qualifying hour, all eyes are on two Mercedes drivers: one to beat, and one to recover.