Lando Norris topped the second practice session at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, edging out George Russell by a mere 0.009s. McLaren showed a significant jump in performance compared to their recent struggles in Monaco, with Oscar Piastri finishing just 0.057s behind his teammate. The team's speed comes via a revised front wing design.

Mercedes and McLaren held a clear advantage over Ferrari and Red Bull. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli finished fifth, nearly 0.6s slower than Norris. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton struggled in a Ferrari featuring eight different upgrades, ending the session in ninth place. Charles Leclerc provided some hope for the team by finishing fourth, only 0.3s off the lead pace.

Max Verstappen faced a difficult day, finishing sixth while battling handling issues and severe tyre wear. He described his tyres as feeling "horrendous" during a long run in the high heat. Red Bull's struggles continued with Isack Hadjar finishing 10th, while Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson lost time due to a mechanical problem exiting the pit lane.

Norris noted the car is working better than in previous weeks, despite the challenging wind and temperature. This performance suggests the MCL40 is finally finding its footing on high-speed circuits. Kimi Antonelli currently holds a 66-point lead in the championship standings as the field prepares for Saturday's qualifying session.