Norris Leads Barcelona FP2 by 0.009s as McLaren Trails Rivals on Long Runs
Updated
Updated · The Race · Jun 12
Norris Leads Barcelona FP2 by 0.009s as McLaren Trails Rivals on Long Runs
3 articles · Updated · The Race · Jun 12
Summary
Lando Norris set the fastest FP2 lap in Barcelona after skipping FP1, but he said McLaren still had vibrations and "a lot of problems" despite a stronger showing with its revised front wing.
Long-run data pointed the other way: George Russell averaged 1m21.195s on a short soft-tyre run, with Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen also ahead of Norris's 1m22.029s as tyre degradation hit every compound.
Mercedes looked especially encouraged by Russell's medium-tyre pace, while Ferrari's upgraded car also improved once an outlier Leclerc lap was removed from the averages.
Pirelli's softer-than-usual C2-C4 selection has made tyre life the central issue for Sunday, with Lewis Hamilton calling grip the worst he has felt in Barcelona and saying the tyres "only last one lap".
Red Bull appeared nearly nine-tenths off McLaren on single-lap pace but closer over race runs, reinforcing the view that the grand prix may hinge less on qualifying speed than on managing degradation.