P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton brought out the red flags with two minutes remaining.
For Max Verstappen, Friday night marked another impressive turnaround for him and his team following initial struggles during practice on day one, where he finished a disappointing 10th. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were close competitors, with Norris trailing by 0.014s and Piastri by an additional 0.151s. Charles Leclerc led the pack by nearly three-tenths of a second, with Max Verstappen behind after struggling to unleash the potential of his soft tires. Lewis Hamilton encountered a mishap, colliding with a barrier and damaging his car’s right front, leading to a repair race against time for his team before qualifying. Despite their challenges, Leclerc and Norris seized the top spots as lap times dwindled, with Verstappen showcasing his skills on medium tires, keeping the competition tight. Verstappen pushed boundaries, setting the weekend’s fastest lap with impressive form, showing promising prospects for the race ahead.
