Russell Leads First Practice at Madrid as Hamilton Draws Criticism from Rivals

George Russell emerged as the quickest driver in the opening practice session at the brand‑new Madring circuit in Madrid, edging out his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli by just 0.286 seconds. After a disappointing weekend at Monza, where the championship leader Antonelli had out‑performed him, Russell was eager to make a statement, and he did so by topping the timesheets early on the soft‑compound tyres.

The early part of the session saw Ferrari quickly finding pace, with their drivers posting laps that were only about half a second slower than the best Mercedes times despite using the medium tyres. This demonstrated that the Spanish outfit had a solid baseline speed on the new layout, but the Mercedes pair, especially Russell, were able to extract a little more from the softer rubber. Charles Leclerc, who is still recovering from the serious crash at Monza that left him with blurred vision, managed to improve his lap on the soft tyres and climbed into third place.

However, Lewis Hamilton’s fastest time remained on the medium compound, suggesting he was perhaps more cautious or simply caught in traffic. Hamilton’s performance attracted considerable criticism from at least four drivers who felt he was impeding other competitors during the hour‑long practice. The narrow nature of the Madring circuit, with its tight corners and high‑speed banked Turn 12, makes traffic management a crucial element, and several drivers claimed the seven‑time world champion was not aware of their presence on the track. Arvid Lindblad was the first to label Hamilton and Antonelli "stupid" for blocking the racing line at the fast, banked Turn 12.

He was soon joined by Leclerc, Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg and Williams driver Carlos Sainz, all of whom were forced to abandon their flying laps because Hamilton failed to give them room. Sainz’s radio message summed up the frustration: "Lewis letting by in the middle of Turn 12. It's always the same, it's so dangerous!" Despite the complaints, the session continued without any major incidents.

The organizers reminded fans to use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player, a note that appeared several times throughout the report. The practice also featured a range of headlines and side stories.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull described the new circuit as "probably a car killer," hinting at the potential for high attrition over the weekend. Meanwhile, Russell insisted he "has an answer" to Antonelli’s strong showing, suggesting that the internal battle at Mercedes could intensify as the season progresses.

Carlos Sainz predicted that the unpredictable nature of the track could lead to multiple safety‑car deployments and even red‑flag periods during the race. Leclerc took responsibility for the earlier clash with Hamilton at Monza, noting that both drivers had discussed the incident ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. In other news, Isack Hadjar will miss the Spanish Grand Prix due to a wrist injury, while Liam Lawson continues to represent Red Bull in the supporting categories. The session also highlighted the sheer amount of disruption that could be expected.

A recent Formula 3 test had required 19 red flags over two days, yet all 22 Formula 1 drivers managed to stay clear of the barriers during practice, indicating a high level of concentration and adaptability. Track evolution was evident throughout the hour, with lap times steadily improving as drivers learned the nuances of the new layout. Early indications suggest that Mercedes and Ferrari will be the main contenders for pole position, though Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who qualified fifth, showed that the team remains a threat.

Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson praised the drivers’ approach to the circuit, saying, "I'm really impressed with the way they approached this brand new circuit. They made it look easy, which they often do." The final classification for the session saw Verstappen in fifth place, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris. Rookie Arvid Lindblad impressed by finishing seventh for Racing Bulls, while Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg secured ninth and Gabriel Bortoleto placed eleventh.

Red Bull’s Liam Lawson rounded out the top ten in tenth position. The weekend schedule is packed with action: Friday will host the Team Bosses' Press Conference at 2:40 pm, the second practice session at 3:45 pm, F3 qualifying at 5:20 pm, and The F1 Show at 6:20 pm. Saturday includes an F3 sprint at 10 am, the third practice session at 11 am, an F2 sprint at 1:10 pm, and the main qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix at 3 pm, followed by an F3 feature race at 4:55 pm and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 6 pm.

Sunday’s agenda features the F3 Feature Race 2 at 8:40 am, the F2 Feature Race at 10:20 am, build‑up shows for the Grand Prix, the race itself at 2 pm, and post‑race reaction segments. All events will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via the NOW platform, offering a contract‑free option that can be cancelled at any time.

The Spanish Grand Prix, set for Sunday at 2 pm, promises an exciting showdown on the challenging Madring circuit, where drivers will need to balance outright speed with careful navigation of the track’s tight sections and high‑speed banking.