Welcome to Total-Motorsport.com for live coverage of FP3 at the 2026 Spanish GP, as Formula 1 returns to the Madring for the final hour of practice before qualifying.
Friday’s running gave teams their first meaningful data from the new 5.414km circuit, with George Russell setting the pace in FP1 for Mercedes.
The session offered an early glimpse of the competitive order, but teams will be looking for further performance overnight as they refine their setups.
FP3 is the final opportunity to assess the cars before qualifying, with teams expected to focus on low-fuel runs and the Soft tyre. Drivers will also work to improve their confidence through the Madring’s blind corners, heavy braking zones and high-speed sections.
Longer runs may feature early in the session, but attention should increasingly turn to one-lap pace as qualifying approaches. The key questions are whether Mercedes can maintain its advantage.
Can Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull close the gap? And which drivers can put together a clean lap around the demanding new circuit? Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
2026 F1 Spanish GP FP3 LIVE: Latest Updates
Results: How they finished up in Spain
Kimi Antonelli completed a clean sweep of Saturday practice for Mercedes at the 2026 Spanish GP, setting the fastest time in an incident-packed FP3 session at the Madring.
Antonelli produced a 1:32.797 during the final qualifying simulations to finish 0.166 seconds clear of Charles Leclerc for Ferrari.
Here are the complete Free Practice 3 results from Madring.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:32.797 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.166 |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.189 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.236 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | +0.375 |
| 6 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.702 |
| 7 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | +1.105 |
| 8 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +1.136 |
| 9 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +1.487 |
| 10 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +1.491 |
| 11 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +1.549 |
| 12 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.633 |
| 13 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.684 |
| 14 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | +1.708 |
| 15 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | +1.768 |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +2.174 |
| 17 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +2.223 |
| 18 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +2.667 |
| 19 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +2.773 |
| 20 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +3.644 |
| 21 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +3.873 |
| 22 | Alexander Albon | Williams | No Time |
Chequered Flag: Antonelli tops FP3 ahead of Qualifying
Mercedes haven’t looked dominant in Free Practice 3 but once again it’s Kimi Antonelli that tops the timing boards as the Italian delivers the goods at the end.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc looked to be the pacesetter throughout but the 20-year-old Mercedes driver punched in a 1:32.797 to stop the times by 0.166 to Leclerc behind.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris slotted into third and fourth for McLaren whilst Max Verstappen finished fifth in the Red Bull package as they continue to struggle.
The headline story was Lewis Hamilton’s crash in the final corner, which could land him a grid penalty for driving in an unsafe manner and leaves his mechanics with a repair job.
Ollie Bearman also crashed whilst Alex Albon never got going with a rear-axle problem on his Williams.
RED FLAG – Session over as Bearman crashes
Oliver Bearman ends the session by causing the third red flag of the weekend as the British driver crashes at the exit of Turn 10 and wrecks his rear suspension.
The driver lost control on the entry to the corner and spins around, with his left-hand side eventually coming to hit the barrier in what sounded like a big impact.
The 21-year-old sounded a bit shaken over the radio and momentarily looked to be limping away from his car.
5 minutes to go: Antonelli goes fastest!
There is the lap that Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes were looking for as the Italian improves on Charles Leclerc’s time by 0.166s to set a new benchmark.
The Italian posts a 1:32.797 and now leads the way with minutes running out in Free Practice 3 as the 20-year-old continues his impressive charge to the title.
Oscar Piastri also strengthens McLaren’s position by moving into third and ahead of Lando Norris, to sit 0.189 off-the-pace at the Madring.
10 minutes to go: Leclerc’s time holds up
Charles Leclerc’s 1:33.332 is currently holding up well, although Lando Norris has now improved to sit just 0.070s behind the Ferrari as McLaren joins the battle for pole.
At the moment it looks as though Ferrari are the favourites with McLaren and Mercedes close behind the Scuderia as Kimi Antonelli slots into third.
But will that hold up?
15 minutes to go: GREEN FLAG
The session finally resumes for a frantic final 15 minutes in Madrid as all of the cars queue in the pit lane to get the final bit of data they need for Qualifying.
Arvid Lindblad is now back in the session for Racing Bulls with the stoppage caused by Lewis Hamilton’s crash giving his engineers just enough time to patch up his car.
Mercedes are currently waiting in the garage.
16 minutes to go: Red Flag – Session Suspended
The FIA have now opted to freeze Free Practice 3 as the barriers are taking too long to repair and that’s good news for Arvid Lindblad and Racing Bulls!
The British-Indian driver is now able to get into the session and get some solid laps under his belt with FP3 eventually resumes once the marshals repair the track.
There’s currently no sign of when that will be, however.
20 minutes to go: Watch Hamilton’s crash
Fans were stunned as Lewis Hamilton hit the wall in the final corner as the Ferrari is out of this Free Practice 3 session and faces a repair job ahead of Qualifying.
Can the mechanics fix the front-wing and any potential floor damage heading into the first competitive session of the Spanish Grand Prix later this Saturday?
Here’s how he crashed:
24 minutes to go: Will Lewis Hamilton get a penalty?
The question now is whether Lewis Hamilton will get a grid penalty for defying commands to stop his car from his Ferrari race engineer a handful of times around the lap.
He had a broken front-wing stuck under his car and eventually his front-right wheel stopped rotating before he came to a stop after Turn 12/La Monumental.
The FIA guidelines state that a grid penalty or a reprimand is the penalty for failing to stop a car in an unsafe condition, so which one will they select on this occasion?
30 minutes to go: Your order as Hamilton crashes
Lewis Hamilton was looking to be on a decent lap until he crashed in the final corner, just getting too deep on the brakes at the new home of the Spanish GP.
His Ferrari understeered straight into the barrier as he slammed on the brakes in an attempt to stop and that is the price drivers pay for a mistake at the Madring.
Alex Albon is also currently out of the session for Williams after damaging his rear axle, and there is no sign of Arvid Lindblad for Racing Bulls as he undergoes a chassis change.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:33.332 |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.332 |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.767 |
| 4 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +0.952 |
| 5 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | +1.310 |
| 6 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +1.437 |
| 7 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +1.884 |
| 8 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | +1.956 |
| 9 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | +2.181 |
| 10 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | +2.219 |
| 11 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | +2.270 |
| 12 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | +2.312 |
| 13 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +2.317 |
| 14 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +2.615 |
| 15 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | +3.151 |
| 16 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +3.159 |
| 17 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | +3.733 |
| 18 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +4.355 |
| 19 | George Russell | Mercedes | +14.179 |
| 20 | Alexander Albon | Williams | No Time |
| 21 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | No Time |
| 22 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | No Time |
32 minutes to go: Hamilton finally stop his car
Carlo Santi has told his driver to stop his car a handful of times now, even telling Lewis Hamilton that he has a puncture on the front-right of the tyre after his crash.
But the 41-year-old is defiant as he insists he can make it back to the pit lane to allow Ferrari to repair his car and get him back into the session ahead of Qualifying.
He eventually stops shortly after La Monumental/Turn 12, but it’s likely he will get a grid penalty for driving his car in an unsafe condition around the Madring.
36 minutes to go: Red Flag – Hamilton crashes at Madring
Lewis Hamilton gets too deep on the brakes and hits the wall at the Madring, a shocking sight for the Spanish crowd as the seven-time world champion makes a mistake!
The red flag is out as Hamilton finds himself stuck in the final corner but the Ferrari driver is able to reverse and continue on his way as he tries to make it back to the pits.
He is being told to stop by his race engineer at the moment.
42 minutes to go: Mercedes hold the early edge
Kimi Antonelli goes around six tenths faster than Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes now begin to pick up the pace compared to Ferrari at the Madring.
The Silver Arrows are looking for a second consecutive victory after emerging triumphant at the Italian GP through Antonelli, who managed to win from 19th on the grid.
Can he now take the win at the Spanish GP?
47 minutes to go: Here come the big teams!
This is where Free Practice 3 officially gets interesting as George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc head out of the pit lane.
They are your favourites for pole position this weekend so lets see how Ferrari shape up against Mercedes now after the pair looked virtually identical on Friday.
Remember, Qualifying follows FP3!
52 minutes to go: Bortoleto sets the opening time to chase
Gabriel Bortoleto is on a fast lap for Audi and he goes to the top of the time for the German newcomers with a 1:35.777 as more cars begin filtering out of the pits.
The big teams aren’t currently out there at the moment as Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull remain in their garages – but they will not be waiting or too much longer.
It’s unusual Lando Norris isn’t getting the laps in after he missed all of FP2 due to a gearbox failure!
55 minutes to go: We have a single car on track!
Gabriel Bortoleto becomes the first driver to head out of the pit lane onto the Madring for Audi, as the Brazilian embarks on his opening lap of the day.
Whether it’s an installation lap or genuine out-lap remains to be seen.
Sometimes teams just want to make sure everything is ticking over.
GREEN FLAG: Free Practice 3 begins in Madrid
The Green Flag has been waved to signal the start of Free Practice 3 but the drivers are not in an immediate rush to head out onto the Madring at the moment.
This is standard for Formula 1 as drivers look to make the most of their dwindling tyre sets with one eye already on Qualifying later this Saturday.
Arvid Lindblad is currently undergoing a chassis change for Racing Bulls after his crash in FP2, which makes him doubtful to compete as things stand.
What Happened on Free Practice Friday?
Mercedes set the early benchmark at the Spanish Grand Prix, with George Russell leading FP1 in 1:34.077, 0.286 seconds ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli.
Ferrari followed, with Charles Leclerc third and Lewis Hamilton fourth. Max Verstappen was fifth for Red Bull, while Arvid Lindblad impressed in seventh for Racing Bulls.
Speaking of FP2, Antonelli moved to the top in FP2, setting a 1:33.662. Leclerc and Hamilton completed a Ferrari one-two-three, with just 0.149 seconds covering the top three.
Lindblad was again a surprise package, finishing fourth despite crashing at Turn 13, bringing out the red flag. Russell was fifth, Verstappen sixth and Oscar Piastri seventh.
McLaren had a disrupted session, with Lando Norris missing FP2 while the team changed his gearbox, can the defending world champion make up the time today?
What to Watch in a lap of the Madring
For FP3 at the Madring, several sections of the lap should provide a useful indication of how the cars are performing ahead of qualifying. The focus will be on braking stability, cornering confidence and traction, particularly where mistakes can quickly compromise a lap.
The fastest corners and major braking zones will also reveal which teams have the strongest overall package. Drivers will be looking for a car that can generate enough downforce through the technical sections without sacrificing straight-line speed.
- Turn 1 braking zone – One of the clearest overtaking opportunities, making braking stability and straight-line speed important.
- Turns 4–5 – A technical section where front-end grip, rotation and traction will be key.
- Turn 8 – The uphill, blind entry makes this a major confidence test.
- Turn 12/La Monumental – The heavily banked, high-speed corner should be one of the biggest indicators of car balance and downforce.
How does FP3 work?
Free Practice 3 (FP3) is the third and final one-hour practice session of a standard Formula 1 weekend. It allows teams to refine their setups and gather important data before qualifying.
The FP3 timing sheets do not always show the true competitive order, because teams can run different fuel loads, tyres and programmes. However, it is usually an important opportunity to assess the cars before the qualifying session.
Teams typically use FP3 for:
- Qualifying simulations – low-fuel runs on the softest tyres to assess one-lap pace.
- Long runs – higher-fuel stints to understand race pace and tyre degradation.
- Tyre testing – comparing different compounds and monitoring how quickly performance drops away.
- Car setup – adjusting aerodynamics, suspension and ride height to improve balance.
- Race preparation – gathering data on fuel consumption, tyre temperatures and degradation.
What to expect from FP3?
FP3 should provide a clearer picture of the competitive order at the Spanish Grand Prix, with teams expected to focus more heavily on qualifying pace and final setup changes.
Mercedes will look to build on George Russell leading FP1 ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli, while Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull aim to close the gap.
Soft-tyre runs should offer a meaningful comparison between the leading teams, while drivers will work to improve their confidence and consistency around the Madring. Teams will also use the session to fine-tune their setups before qualifying.
With blind corners, walls and limited run-off, drivers will need to avoid costly mistakes while continuing to learn the new circuit. The session should offer a final indication of which teams are best prepared for qualifying, although the order may change when fuel loads and run plans differ.
Welcome to the Blog!
Drivers and teams have now had an entire to acclimatise to the new Madring circuit, make set-up changes and dissect how they can improve their lap times.
So will we see a big leap forwards in Free Practice 3? Mercedes are very competitive through George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, but Ferrari are close by.
Can Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc find the extra tenth or two they need to become favourites for pole position?
Find out here with Total-Motorsport.com.
