BARCELONA :Formula One leader Oscar Piastri was fastest in final Spanish Grand Prix practice on Saturday with McLaren teammate Lando Norris making it a dominant one-two at the top of the timesheets.
Piastri’s fastest time of one minute and 12.387 seconds completed a sweep of practice for the reigning champions and was a strong statement of intent for later qualifying.
The Australian was also fastest in Friday’s second session while Norris, winner in Monaco last Sunday, set the pace in the first.
Norris, three points off the lead after eight of 24 races, was 0.526 slower than the Australian as McLaren shrugged off tighter front wing flex tests introduced at the Circuit de Catalunya.
The Briton made a mistake on one quick lap that would otherwise have put him much closer to Piastri.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third fastest, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen.
Rookies Isack Hadjar and Kimi Antonelli were sixth and seventh for Racing Bulls and Mercedes respectively with local hero and double world champion Fernando Alonso eighth for Aston Martin but 1.027 slower than Piastri.
Ferrari’s seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton, winner a record-equalling six times in Spain but complaining on Friday that the car was ‘not driveable’, was ninth after another difficult session.
“Downshifts are not working properly, mate. Something’s wrong with the gear shift,” the Briton complained over the team radio.
Liam Lawson completed the top 10 for Racing Bulls ahead of qualifying for Sunday’s race at 1400 GMT.
