Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen both described a lack of grip in Friday practice at the Barcelona‑Catalunya Grand Prix. Hamilton missed the first session after Ferrari exercised its rookie‑run rule and managed only ninth in the second practice, a full second off teammate Charles Leclerc. Verstappen completed both runs but finished 0.9 seconds behind Lando Norris.

Ferrari arrived with its largest upgrade package of the season, yet Hamilton remained 1.2 seconds behind the pace setters Lando Norris and George Russell. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell led the times, highlighting how the hot surface and overheating tyres limited lap length to a single circuit. Both champions warned they will not contest the front row on Saturday.

McLaren’s Lando Norris posted a solid Friday, finishing third in second practice and saying the car feels better on the flowing Barcelona layout after recent reliability woes. Oscar Piastri, third in the same session, urged the team to keep momentum into qualifying. With grip a scarce commodity, the weekend promises a reshuffled grid and a race where outright speed may outweigh traditional hierarchy.