Oscar Piastri showcased remarkable speed in the second practice session (FP2) at the Spanish Grand Prix, held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, posting the fastest lap and putting pressure on his teammate Lando Norris. Piastri recorded a time nearly 0.3 seconds quicker than any other driver, including Norris, who managed only the fourth-best time in FP2. This strong performance by Piastri intensifies the closely fought championship battle between the McLaren teammates, who are separated by just three points before qualifying.
Former F1 champion Nico Rosberg commented on the impact of Piastri’s pace on Norris, highlighting the mental challenge it could pose.
“Yes but don’t underestimate the setback today with Piastri dominating like this in FP2 and putting in such a strong lap,”
Rosberg said.
“That will play on his mind for the rest of the day because now he will be there studying the data and he will see how Oscar was so quick there, so quick there. That’s not an easy day for him.”
Rosberg also expressed hope that this development would not halt Norris’ progress in the title fight:
“Let’s hope it doesn’t stop his momentum which has been on the rise so much.”
Norris focuses on incremental improvements before qualifying
Despite being behind in FP2, Lando Norris led the times in the first practice session (FP1) and remains committed to making the necessary adjustments for a stronger performance in qualifying. Norris emphasized that McLaren’s strong setup baseline provides a platform from which they can try new directions to improve the car’s balance and feel.
“A decent Friday. The car was better in FP1 than it was in FP2, but we were trying things out. We’ll keep trying to improve for tomorrow,”
Norris said. He further explained,
“It’s tiny things. I think something that we always do very good is a good baseline and find it difficult to improve from that point onwards which is a good thing, not a bad thing. It allows us to try a different direction, different things and try and get a bit of a feel.”
Piastri cautious about strong competition from rivals
While Piastri impressed with his speed, he acknowledged that other teams remained competitive as the weekend progressed. Red Bull, in particular, was expected to contend for victory given the RB21’s strong performance in high-speed corners. Piastri noted the consistent pace of Max Verstappen, while Ferrari and Mercedes also showed promising signs late in the session.
Reflecting on the day, Piastri said,
“I mean it’s been a bit of an up and down day. Ending on an up which is good. Our competitors look quick. Verstappen’s been quick all day. Ferrari have been there. Mercedes popped up at the end. It’s going to be a tight battle tomorrow I think. Definitely still some things to try and work on.”
He added,
“We expected Red Bull to be quick. That’s not a big surprise. Just trying to make the car a bit faster really that’s all. We’ve tried a few things today. We’re learning. It’s been a good day.”
Implications for the championship and qualifying session
Oscar Piastri’s commanding performance in FP2 at the Spanish Grand Prix significantly raises the stakes for qualifying, where he and Lando Norris will battle closely for starting positions. With the points gap between the teammates minimal, this momentum shift could influence confidence and strategy for McLaren’s title challenge. As rival teams like Red Bull, Ferrari, and Mercedes remain strong contenders, the upcoming sessions promise an intense fight for supremacy in Barcelona.
