Hamilton and Verstappen struggle for grip at Barcelona GP practice

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen reported significant grip issues during Friday's practice sessions at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. Hamilton, who missed the first session for a rookie driver to participate, finished ninth in the second session, 1.2 seconds off the pace. Verstappen acknowledged that his team is unlikely to compete for the front row in Saturday's qualifying after finishing nearly nine tenths behind Lando Norris. Both drivers indicated that grip was at a low point due to tire performance in the hot conditions. Final practice and qualifying are scheduled for Saturday afternoon.