Oscar Piastri Dominates Final Practice Ahead of Spanish Grand Prix

Barcelona, Spain — Oscar Piastri showcased remarkable speed during the final practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday, setting a time of 1:12.387 and leaving his teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc trailing behind. This performance maintains McLaren’s status as the leading team ahead of qualifying.

The session began quietly as Franco Colapinto was the first driver on the track, looking to make up for lost time from earlier sessions due to a hydraulic issue. He was soon followed by rookie Gabriel Bortoleto and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who engaged with the crowd during a slow lap to warm his tires.

Yuki Tsunoda temporarily took the lead in his Red Bull with a time of 1:14.851 but was quickly outpaced by Norris, who jumpstarted the competition with a fast lap. Despite Tsunoda’s complaints about losing grip, Carlos Sainz challenged for the top time as others took advantage of the cooler track conditions.

As the session continued, George Russell briefly claimed the fastest lap, but Piastri’s final effort proved dominant, finishing with a 0.526-second gap to Norris in second, who encountered issues while trying to improve his time.

In the closing minutes, Verstappen attempted to close the gap but finished fifth, trailing behind Russell. Despite various challenges, Isack Hadjar and Kimi Antonelli maintained solid positions, and Alonso finished eighth, 1.027 seconds off Piastri’s pace.

As the session drew to a close, Lewis Hamilton expressed concerns about gearshift issues over the team radio, while Liam Lawson rounded out the top ten for Racing Bulls. The action continues with qualifying set for 4:00 PM local time, creating anticipation for an exciting race weekend.