The third and final free practice session of the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix gets under way at 12:30 in Madrid, with Ferrari looking to build on an encouraging Friday and close the remaining gap to Mercedes before qualifying. Andrea Kimi Antonelli set the pace in FP2, finishing just over a tenth clear of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, leaving the Scuderia firmly in the fight heading into Saturday.
Hola and good Saturday morning to all ScuderiaFans.com readers. We are once again in the press room at the new Madring circuit to bring you live coverage of FP3 at the Spanish Grand Prix. The session begins at 12:30 on this warm Spanish morning and will run for one hour, ending at 13:30. Fans can also check the full 2026 Spanish Grand Prix schedule and start times for the rest of the Madrid weekend.
Ferrari chases Mercedes in 2026 Spanish GP FP3
Mercedes grabbed the headlines on Friday thanks to Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who once again emerged at the top of the timing screens. The Italian driver finished a little more than a tenth ahead of the two Ferraris, with an impressive Charles Leclerc leading Lewis Hamilton in the battle behind the Mercedes.
That left Ferrari with an encouraging starting point for Saturday. The SF-26 showed competitive pace in Madrid, making the final practice session an important opportunity to refine the car before qualifying. The characteristics of the new and challenging Madring circuit are also adding another variable as the teams continue to learn the venue during Formula 1’s first race weekend here.
McLaren looks to recover after Lando Norris gearbox problem
McLaren’s performance, meanwhile, is one of the areas still requiring a closer look. The Madrid layout should suit the team’s car, but Lando Norris lost valuable track time in FP2 after being sidelined by a gearbox problem. That leaves McLaren with ground to recover during the final hour of practice before qualifying.
For Ferrari, Saturday morning will provide another indication of whether the promising pace seen on Friday can be maintained as the weekend progresses. The Maranello team arrived in Madrid with reasons to believe the SF-26 could be better suited to Madring than Monza, and FP3 will offer the final chance to work on the car before the competitive sessions begin.
Will Mercedes remain the benchmark, or can Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton close the final gap? And can McLaren recover the time lost with Lando Norris? Follow the third and final free practice session of the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid with the minute-by-minute live coverage from the Madring circuit.
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