Everything you need to know ahead of Friday at the 2026 Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, including FP1, qualifying, weather forecast and race start times
Why Kimi Antonelli is"grateful" for mid-season slump in F1 2025Toto Wolff"too smart" to pair Max Verstappen with Kimi Antonelli, says Guenther SteinerEverything you need to know ahead of Friday at the 2026 Formula 1 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, including FP1, qualifying, weather forecast and race start timesAntonelli won from pole in Monte Carlo after a late red flag and standing restart, keeping Lewis Hamilton behind to continue his remarkable run of form.
Russell, meanwhile, finished 13th after a penalty-hit race, leaving Antonelli firmly in control of the title picture heading to Spain. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has long been one of Formula 1’s most familiar venues, with its mix of fast corners, traction zones and tyre demands making it a strong test of overall car performance.
After the stop-start chaos of Monaco, Friday practice in Spain will give teams their first chance to understand how their packages compare on a more conventional circuit. Friday brings two practice sessions, with FP1 followed by FP2 later in the afternoon. Here is everything you need to know ahead of Friday’s running at the Barcelona-Catalunya GP. Broadcast coverage of Formula 1 varies by region.
In the United States, Apple TV is the primary broadcast partner for the 2026 season, with all sessions available on the platform following a multi-year deal. F1 TV remains the series’ global subscription streaming service. For viewers in the United Kingdom, Sky Sports continues as the championship’s exclusive broadcaster, showing every session live throughout the 2026 season. F1 coverage can also be streamed via Sky Go or NOW, with highlights available free-to-air on Channel 4.
Friday, June 12 — Free Practice 1 — 12:30pm BSTFriday, June 12 — Free Practice 1 — 1:30pm CESTSaturday, June 13 — Grand Prix Qualifying — 4:00pm CESTFriday is expected to be sunny, warm and dry at Barcelona-Catalunya, giving teams stable conditions for the opening day of running. Temperatures are set to climb through the day, so FP2 should be warmer than FP1 and more representative of the conditions teams may face later in the weekend.
With little chance of rain, the main focus will be on tyre management, long-run pace and how the track evolves between the two practice sessions. Saturday is also expected to stay dry and become warmer again, which could make tyre preparation and track temperature important factors for qualifying. Sunday is currently forecast to be sunny and very warm for the grand prix, meaning heat and tyre degradation may play a bigger role than any unlikely weather disruptions.
The circuit has long been a familiar Formula 1 testing and race venue and is known for testing a car’s overall balance, with a mix of fast corners, slower technical sections and tyre demands. Charles Leclerc to test new brake supplier for Barcelona after Monaco crashDiscover prime contentBy Jake Boxall-LeggeFrom Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising.
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