The F1 2026 Barcelona-Catulanya GP FP2 is complete with Lando Norris topping the timing sheets.
Green flag in Barcelona
After a rookie-filled FP1, it was back to the normal grid for the start of FP2 at the Barcelona-Catalunya GP.
Sergio Pérez was the first out on the track for Cadillac after missing out on F1 FP1. The rest of the grid was soon to follow to get some early running in during the session. Williams mechanics had completed the work on Alex Albon’s car, which had earlier stopped rookie driver Luke Browning from running during FP1.
George Russell was late out of the garage, joining the session 8 minutes in. After the opening laps, Oscar Piastri set the fastest time, topping the timesheets with a 1:15.724 lap—quicker than the fastest laps recorded in FP2. Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc followed in second and third place, respectively.
Carlos Sainz had a big slide at Turn 8, but was able to keep the car under control and stay on track. George Russell also ran wide at Turn 3; however, he set the fastest first sector on his next lap. Bottas remained in the garage as Cadillac struggled to get the car started.
Lawson hits trouble in FP2
Liam Lawson caused a yellow flag. The Kiwi lost power to his Racing Bulls on the pit exit, triggering a Virtual Safety Car. He reported over the team radio that his gearbox had failed. The team recovered his car, bringing his FP2 session in Barcelona to an end, it seemed. However, he got out for two laps at the end.
As the Virtual Safety Car ended, the top three were Piastri, Russell and Verstappen. It was back to normal running as some drivers struggled to find the limits of the track.
Halfway point
At the 30-minute mark in Barcelona, there was no change to the top of the table. The top three were followed by Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Isack Hadjar. However, Leclerc quickly put in a lap which moved him up to P2. The fast laps started flying in as the teams began their qualifying simulations. Russell set the new fastest lap of 1:15.435, and his teammate Kimi Antonelli put himself into P4.
Further down the grid, both Alpine drivers were struggling with the pace, and the two Aston Martin drivers were the slowest on track.
Oscar Piastri pushed his McLaren to the limit, but remained second to George Russell. His teammate Lando Norris followed by moving up to P1. Fernando Alonso was noted for crossing the line at the pit exit, which will be investigated after the session.
With 20 minutes remaining, Valtteri Bottas was able to make his first appearance in FP2.
Final Laps of the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya GP F1 FP2
As FP2 at the Barcelona-Catalunya GP came to an end, it was time for the drivers to put in their final laps. The drivers all began to undergo some long-run simulations in order to gain vital information for the race on Sunday.
There was a close moment between Perez and Hadjar as the Red Bull attempted to get past the Cadillac. Perez was noted by race control for forcing a driver off the track.
Russell ran wide and took a trip into the gravel. After being checked over in the pits, he was straight back out on track. Antonelli also struggled in the same part of the track. Racing Bulls were able to retrieve Lawson’s car to allow him to complete some final laps at the end of the session.
At the end of the session, the top three drivers were Lando Norris (1:15.426), George Russell (+0.009) and Oscar Piastri (+0.057).
