Motor racing-Antonelli reprimanded as Russell fastest in final Barcelona practice


Formula One F1 - Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - June 13, 2026 Mercedes' George Russell in action during practice REUTERS/Nacho Doce

BARCELONA, June ⁠13 (Reuters) - George Russell lapped fastest for Mercedes in final ⁠practice for Formula One's Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix on Saturday while ‌championship-leading teammate Kimi Antonelli was only seventh on the timesheets and reprimanded for driving erratically.

Russell, 68 points behind the 19-year-old Italian after six rounds and with ​no points from his last two races, ⁠went around the sunny Circuit ⁠de Catalunya with a best time of one minute 15.679 seconds.

The ⁠Briton ‌will now go into qualifying after topping two of the three practice sessions.

McLaren's Oscar Piastri, last year's winner ⁠from pole, was 0.214 slower with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ​third.

Reigning champion Lando ‌Norris, fastest overall on Friday, was fourth quickest for ⁠McLaren with Lewis ​Hamilton fifth for Ferrari and Max Verstappen sixth for Red Bull.

Antonelli, who will be chasing his sixth win in a row on Sunday, ⁠was slowed by traffic on a qualifying ​simulation.

"Why do I always get traffic?! I don't understand, everyone always in the lap," he said as he decided to return to the ⁠pits after a lap that was compromised early on by the positioning of Aston Martin's Lance Stroll.

He was later summoned to stewards, who gave him a first reprimand of the season.

Stewards reported ​he had been impeded by Stroll at ⁠the first corner, after which he applied the brakes and prevented ​the Canadian from passing.

"The driver admitted during ‌the hearing that he acted out ​of frustration and apologised for his action," they added.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Louise Heavens)

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