George Russell emerged as the quickest driver in the opening practice session on 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 Antonelli, the championship frontrunner, out‑performed him, Russell seized the opportunity to demonstrate his pace ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
The session highlighted the immediate competitiveness of both Mercedes and Ferrari. While the Italian team quickly found rhythm, their best lap on the medium‑compound tyres was only about half a second slower than the top Mercedes time set on the softer tyre.
This narrow gap suggested that the new track could see a close battle for pole position throughout the weekend. Charles Leclerc, who is still recovering from the severe crash at Monza that left him with blurred vision, managed to improve his lap on the soft tyres and climb into third place. However, his teammate Lewis Hamilton’s quickest time remained on the medium compound, indicating that Hamilton may have been holding back to avoid traffic or conserve tyre life.
Hamilton’s pace became a point of contention when at least four drivers accused him of impeding during the hour‑long practice. The cramped layout of the Madring circuit, especially the high‑speed, banked Turn 12, made it difficult for drivers to find clean air. Arvid Lindblad was the first to label Hamilton and Antonelli "stupid" for blocking the track at Turn 12, a sentiment echoed by Leclerc, Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg and Williams driver Carlos Sainz, all of whom were forced to abandon their flying laps because the seven‑time world champion appeared unaware of their approach. Sainz’s radio transmission captured his frustration: "Lewis letting by in the middle of Turn 12.
It's always the same, it's so dangerous!" The incident underlined the challenges that the new circuit poses for traffic management, especially when drivers are still learning the optimal racing lines. Beyond the on‑track action, the weekend’s schedule is packed with supporting series and media events. The practice session was followed by a series of broadcasts and qualifying rounds for Formula 3, Formula 2, and the F1 Show, all slated for the following days.
Notably, the Spanish Grand Prix itself is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. (build‑up from 12:30 p.m.), with live coverage on Sky Sports F1 and streaming via NOW. The atmosphere around the Madring circuit has been one of cautious optimism. After a chaotic two‑day Formula 3 test last month that required 19 red flags, the 22 F1 drivers managed to keep the session largely incident‑free, a testament to their adaptability and the circuit’s safety measures.
Track evolution was evident throughout the hour, with lap times improving as rubber built up and drivers refined their lines. Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson praised the drivers’ handling of the new layout: "I'm really impressed with the way they approached this brand new circuit. They made it look easy, which they often do." His comments reflect a broader sentiment that both Mercedes and Ferrari appear well‑prepared to contest the top step of the podium.
The final classification for the session placed Max Verstappen of Red Bull in fifth, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris in sixth. Rookie Arvid Lindblad, driving for Racing Bulls, impressed by securing seventh place, while Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto rounded out the top ten in ninth and eleventh respectively, with Red Bull’s Oscar Lawson slotting into tenth. Looking ahead, the weekend’s timetable includes a team‑boss press conference at 2:40 p.m.
on Friday, followed by the second practice session at 4 p.m., and a series of qualifying events for the junior categories. Saturday will see the F3 sprint, the third practice session for the Grand Prix, and the F2 sprint, culminating in the main qualifying session for the Spanish Grand Prix. Sunday’s agenda features the F3 and F2 feature races before the Grand Prix itself, with post‑race analysis and reaction segments scheduled throughout the afternoon.
Drivers have already voiced their concerns about tyre wear on the demanding Madring layout. Russell, in particular, expressed apprehension about how quickly the soft compounds might degrade over the race distance, noting that the high‑speed banking and abrasive surface could make the circuit a "car killer," as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen put it. These worries add another layer of strategy to the weekend, as teams must balance outright speed with tyre longevity. In summary, the first practice session at Madring set the stage for an exciting Spanish Grand Prix weekend.
Russell’s fastest lap demonstrated Mercedes’ intent to challenge Ferrari’s early promise, while the incidents involving Hamilton highlighted the importance of traffic awareness on a circuit where space is at a premium. With a packed schedule of supporting races, media events, and fan engagements, Madrid is poised to deliver a memorable start to the 2026 Formula 1 season.