Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen faced significant challenges during Friday practice at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, expressing concerns over grip levels. Hamilton, who missed the first practice session due to Ferrari’s rookie regulations, managed only a ninth-place finish in the second session, trailing nearly a second behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, who secured fourth.

Hamilton noted that he was 1.2 seconds off the pace set by Lando Norris and George Russell, indicating a clear gap between Ferrari and the front runners. He remarked, "Clearly we are quite a chunk off, still," and highlighted the unusually low grip and tire performance in the hot conditions, which made it difficult to find a rhythm in the car.

Verstappen, completing both practice sessions, finished nearly nine tenths behind Norris. He acknowledged that the Red Bull was less stable compared to the McLaren and Mercedes, stating, "We are losing in the high-speed, low-speed and medium-speed - it's pretty much everywhere."

Lando Norris, feeling more competitive after previous struggles, expressed a cautious optimism, noting, "It seems to be working in a better place." His teammate, Oscar Piastri, who finished third in the second practice, emphasized the need to maintain momentum into qualifying, stating, "There’s still plenty to learn and a lot more performance to find."

Kimi Antonelli, another notable driver, struggled in first practice and commented on the difficulty of achieving a good balance with the tires. Despite the challenges, he remains confident ahead of qualifying, looking forward to adjustments that could enhance performance.

The qualifying session is set for Saturday at 3pm on Sky Sports F1, with teams eager to improve their setups following a tough practice day.