CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA, SPAIN - JUNE 21: Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38 during the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Zak Mauger / LAT Images)
CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA, SPAIN - JUNE 21: Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38 during the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Zak Mauger / LAT Images)
Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in the second practice session for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, narrowly edging out local favourite Carlos Sainz by just over two hundredths of a second. Lando Norris, who had topped the first practice session, took third place.
Early in the second hour of practice, George Russell, Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, led on Medium tyres, setting a target time of 1:14.197, slightly ahead of Norris.
Meanwhile, championship leader Max Verstappen struggled with his Red Bull, complaining about the RB20’s handling, specifically its instability on exits and understeer in mid-corner. “This car doesn’t bite,” he relayed to his team.
The session saw a switch to Soft compound Pirelli tyres around its midpoint. Williams’ Logan Sargeant kicked off the qualifying simulations, improving his best time from 1:16.748 on Hard tyres to 1:15.070 on Softs, moving up to seventh. His teammate, Alex Albon, also switched to Softs and secured P6 with a time of 1:14.807.
Sainz was the first among the frontrunners to switch to Softs, clocking a time of 1:13.286 to take P1. Charles Leclerc, Sainz’s Ferrari teammate, couldn’t match this time and ended up 0.311s behind. Norris then moved into second, just 0.033s off Sainz’s pace, pushing Leclerc down to third.
Verstappen, after making adjustments to his car, set the fastest times in the first and third sectors on his Soft tyre run. However, he lost three tenths in the middle sector and was positioned in P3. Hamilton then delivered a stellar lap of 1:13.264, securing the top spot, just two hundredths ahead of Sainz.
As teams shifted focus to longer runs, Sainz and Norris remained in second and third, respectively, with only 0.055s separating the top three. Verstappen’s slower middle sector relegated him to fifth, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly edging him out.
Leclerc finished the session in sixth place, followed by Oscar Piastri in seventh. Russell took eighth, while Esteban Ocon ensured a strong session for Alpine with the ninth fastest time. Valtteri Bottas rounded out the top ten for Kick Sauber.
55 SAINZ Carlos (spa), Scuderia Ferrari SF-24, action during the Formula 1 Aramco Gran Premio de Espana 2024, 10th round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship from June 21 to 23, 2024 on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in Montmeló, Spain – Photo Xavi Bonilla / DPPICIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA, SPAIN – JUNE 21: Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-24, leaves his pit box during the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Simon Galloway / LAT Images)CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA, SPAIN – JUNE 21: Oliver Bearman, Haas VF-24 during the Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Steven Tee / LAT Images)Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A524. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 10, Spanish Grand Prix, Friday 21st June 2024. Barcelona, Spain.Esteban Ocon (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A524. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 10, Spanish Grand Prix, Friday 21st June 2024. Barcelona, Spain.action, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, GP2410a, F1, GP, Spain Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, passes the pit wallLando Norris, McLaren MCL38Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Teamaction, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, GP2410a, F1, GP, Spain Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24Pierre Gasly (FRA) Alpine F1 Team A524 with sensor equipment. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 10, Spanish Grand Prix, Friday 21st June 2024. Barcelona, Spain.action, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, GP2410a, F1, GP, Spain Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR242024 Spanish Grand Prix, Friday – Jiri Krenek2024 Spanish Grand Prix, Friday – LAT Images2024 Spanish Grand Prix, Friday – LAT ImagesBARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 21: Yuki Tsunoda of Visa Cash App RB during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202406210721 // Usage for editorial use only //BARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 21: The helmet of Daniel Ricciardo of Visa Cash App RB during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Peter Fox/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202406210729 // Usage for editorial use only //BARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 21: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202406210772 // Usage for editorial use only //BARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 21: Yuki Tsunoda of Japan driving the (22) Visa Cash App RB VCARB 01 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202406210784 // Usage for editorial use only //BARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 21: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202406210788 // Usage for editorial use only //BARCELONA, SPAIN – JUNE 21: Sergio Perez of Mexico driving the (11) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 on track during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 21, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202406210864 // Usage for editorial use only //Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams Racing FW46. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 10, Spanish Grand Prix, Friday 21st June 2024. Barcelona, Spain.Logan Sargeant (USA) Williams Racing FW46. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 10, Spanish Grand Prix, Friday 21st June 2024. Barcelona, Spain.
