Oscar Piastri found himself on top of the timing sheet as FP2 came to an end for the Spanish Grand Prix. While many were expecting a revised pecking order with the latest technical directive being brought in from this weekend, it showed no impact on the order as McLaren continued to show strong pace.
One of the biggest storylines coming into the weekend was the new technical directive, which warranted more stringent tests to limit flexi-wings on the Front Wing of the car. A number of teams brought an updated front wing in preparation for the new technical directive. McLaren, on the other hand, decided to bring no upgrades to their car. Despite this, they went fastest in both FP1 and FP2 on Friday.
McLaren refuses to lose momentum despite the regulation change
In FP1, we saw Lando Norris go fastest with a 1:13.718. In FP2, Piastri took the fastest time with 1:12.760. McLaren is just coming off a satisfying victory at Monaco, where Lando took the top step of the podium while Piastri made it a double podium for the Papaya team by finishing 3rd. They look to be continuing this momentum in Barcelona this weekend.
While McLaren seems quick around this circuit, Max Verstappen is right on their heels. The Austrian team brought an upgrade package back in Imola that gave Max Verstappen the race pace to stay ahead of the McLarens. While the Dutch driver was not the fastest, he will be in contention for pole and the race win this weekend.
Over and out for Friday’s practice running 💨
Let’s take a look at the full classification from FP2 📊👇#F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/sGD2b9tH63
— Formula 1 (@F1) May 30, 2025
Both Mercedes and Ferrari also showed some strong pace, putting a total of 4 teams in the top 5.
Williams, on the other hand, is struggling to find pace in the car. Heading into the weekend, Carlos Sainz himself mentioned that the track layout of Barcelona will not suit the Williams well. This proved to be true as both Albon and Sainz finished outside the top 15 in FP2.
The FP2 session itself was a rather quiet session, apart from one spin from Oliver Bearman in the first 15 minutes. He was able to catch the spin before he put the car into the wall and was able to nurse it back into the pits.
What strategy can we expect for the Spanish Grand Prix?
During FP2 for the Spanish Grand Prix, we saw all of the drivers attempting high-fuel load runs. These are run to test the tyre performance for the race. Over the years, we have seen drivers go for different strategies that have led to entertaining finishes. One example would be the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton went for the 2-stop strategy to overtake Verstappen with the 1-stop.
After FP2, it looks as though the teams might favour the 2-stop strategy. However, this may change based on the starting position for each of the drivers.
😱| The Spanish GP has featured only TWO DIFFERENT WINNERS in 9 years!
Verstappen and Hamilton have reigned supreme since 2016 around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya!
Can McLaren put an end to this streak in the possibly final race at this track?#F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/YEkXBwUC3g
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) May 28, 2025
If the Spanish Grand Prix turns out to be a strategy battle between the teams, McLaren might have an advantage as they have 2 strong drivers battling for the Championship. Red Bull, on the other hand, has only Max Verstappen battling at the front as Yuki Tsunoda is still struggling to get acclimatised to the RB21. The same can be said for Ferrari, where Hamilton is still looking to unlock the full potential of the SF-25.
With 2 cars at the front, McLaren can play the strategy well to secure a race win for the team, even if they are not able to take pole position.
What are your early predictions for the Spanish Grand Prix? Write them down in the comments section below.
