Norris edges Russell by 0.009s in Barcelona Free Practice 2
Norris lands the narrowest blow in FP2
Lando Norris delivered the fastest lap of second practice for the Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, edging George Russell by just 0.009s in a tightly packed soft-tyre shootout. Norris, who sat out FP1 while McLaren reserve Leonardo Fornaroli made his first appearance in an F1 session, returned to the cockpit and ended FP2 on top with a 1m15.426s.
It was not a clean, effortless lap. Norris had to manage several slides and corrections around Barcelona, but the time was still enough to deny Russell, who had already led the opening session. For more on Mercedesâ earlier pace, read our report on how Russell led a hot Barcelona GP FP1 session.
McLaren shows stronger form after Monaco
Oscar Piastri had set the early benchmark on medium tyres with a 1m15.724s, holding first place through the opening half-hour before Russell moved ahead after switching to softs. Norris then found the decisive margin late in the qualifying-style runs, with Piastriâs own soft-tyre effort leaving him within 0.06s of his team-mate.
That combined McLaren showing carried significance after what the source described as a difficult Monaco weekend. On a more conventional circuit, both cars appeared much closer to the front, and Piastriâs proximity to Norris and Russell underlined the teamâs competitive step in FP2.
Ferrari works through updates and tyre concerns
Charles Leclerc ended fourth, 0.373s away from Norris, as Ferrari continued evaluating its Barcelona update package. The team brought a new front wing to Spain, but it required several adjustments during the session. Lewis Hamilton reported âdraggingâ on the straights, prompting quick work from Ferrariâs mechanics. You can also revisit the background to the teamâs Barcelona development push in our piece on Ferrariâs major SF-26 upgrade package.
Kimi Antonelli was fifth, 0.589s off the pace, after joining the soft-tyre runs earlier than some rivals. The championship leader reported a long brake pedal and visible discomfort on corner entry, having also missed FP1 while Frederik Vesti drove for Mercedes.
Long runs hint at strategy complexity
Max Verstappen and Arvid Lindblad were the only other drivers within a second of Norris. Gabriel Bortoleto followed for Audi, while Hamilton was ninth after reporting heavy tyre degradation late on. With several drivers struggling on longer runs, the race picture may not naturally fall into a routine one-stop pattern.
Isack Hadjar completed the top 10 after narrowly avoiding contact with Sergio Perez, while Liam Lawson finished 13th despite his engine having âdiedâ after 15 minutes, leaving his Racing Bulls stranded near pit exit under a virtual safety car.
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.