George Russell emerged as the quickest driver in the opening practice session on the brand‑new Madring circuit, edging out his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli by just 0.286 seconds. After a disappointing finish at Monza, where Antonelli claimed the fastest time, Russell was eager to rebound, and his performance on the soft‑compound tyres signalled a strong start to the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. Ferrari, meanwhile, demonstrated that they are not far behind the leading pack. Their drivers were consistently within half a second of the session’s best times while running on the medium tyres, a remarkable achievement given that Mercedes were on the softer, more grippy compound.
Charles Leclerc, who recovered from a severe crash at Monza that left him with temporary blurred vision, managed to improve his lap on the soft tyres and climbed to third place by the end of the hour. Lewis Hamilton, the seven‑time world champion, posted his fastest lap on the medium tyres, but his time was eclipsed by several rivals. Hamilton’s pace was not the only talking point.
At least four drivers accused him of obstructing the track during the tightly packed practice session. The narrow layout of the Madring circuit, especially the high‑speed, banked Turn 12, made traffic management a critical issue.
Arvid Lindblad was the first to label Hamilton and Antonelli "stupid" for blocking the racing line at this corner. Shortly after, Leclerc, Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg and Williams driver Carlos Sainz were forced to abandon their flying laps because Hamilton appeared unaware of their approach, prompting a wave of frustration. Sainz’s radio message summed up the sentiment: "Lewis letting you by in the middle of Turn 12. It’s always the same, it’s so dangerous!" The incident highlighted the challenges drivers face on a circuit that is still being fine‑tuned for overtaking opportunities.
Beyond the on‑track drama, the practice session featured a host of headlines. Reports surfaced that Kimi Antonelli seemed unstoppable, prompting speculation that Ferrari’s young star could jeopardise the 2026 championship battle.
Lando Norris of McLaren called for revisions to the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) regulations after he lost a potential win to Antonelli, while team principals expressed optimism that the track’s layout could be adjusted to promote more passing in future races. Veteran commentator Martin Brundle offered his verdict on the Madring debut, suggesting that a few modifications for the 2027 season could enhance the spectacle, particularly concerning the VSC rules. In the end, Antonelli clinched victory in the first F1 race at Madring, extending his lead in the championship standings, while Norris lamented his misfortune. The practice day also saw a significant amount of track evolution.
Despite a chaotic two‑day Formula 3 test the previous month that required 19 red flags, all 22 F1 drivers managed to keep their cars on the racing line without major incidents. The session’s lap times dropped steadily as the asphalt warmed and drivers gathered more data, indicating that both Mercedes and Ferrari are poised to battle for supremacy throughout the weekend. Sky Sports F1 analyst Anthony Davidson praised the drivers’ adaptability: "I’m really impressed with the way they approached this brand‑new circuit. They made it look easy, which they often do." Max Verstappen of Red Bull rounded out the top five, followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris in sixth.
Rookie Arvid Lindblad impressed the crowd with a seventh‑place finish for Racing Bulls, while Audi’s Nico Hülkenberg secured ninth and Gabriel Bortoleto placed eleventh. Red Bull’s Lawson slipped into tenth, completing a diverse top‑ten field.
The weekend schedule is packed with action. On Friday, September 11, the team bosses’ press conference begins at 2:40 pm, followed by the second practice session at 3:45 pm, the F3 qualifying at 5:20 pm, and the F1 Show at 6:20 pm.
Saturday, September 12, features the F3 sprint at 10:00 am, the third practice session at 11:00 am, the F2 sprint at 1:10 pm, and the Spanish Grand Prix qualifying build‑up at 2:15 pm, culminating in the qualifying session at 3:00 pm. The day concludes with the F3 feature race at 4:55 pm and Ted’s Qualifying Notebook at 6:00 pm. Sunday, September 13, hosts the second F3 feature race at 8:40 am, the F2 feature race at 10:20 am, the Grand Prix build‑up at 12:30 pm, and the main race itself at 2:00 pm, followed by post‑race reactions and Ted’s Notebook at 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm respectively. The Spanish Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract, allowing viewers to cancel at any time.
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