Russell tops FP1 as cars hit Madring for first time

George Russell led a Mercedes one-two in the opening practice session at the new Madrid street circuit, setting a pace of 1m 34.077s. His teammate Kimi Antonelli followed closely, finishing less than three tenths behind, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton completed the top four. The session saw drivers navigate the 22-turn, 5.414km track for the first time, with several encountering technical and handling issues. Sergio Perez experienced steering wheel problems, Yuki Tsunoda was sidelined by a power steering failure, and various drivers struggled with track limits as grip levels evolved throughout the hour. Following the Mercedes pair and Ferrari drivers, Max Verstappen secured fifth for Red Bull, ahead of Lando Norris and Arvid Lindblad. The session concluded with significant traffic management and tyre degradation challenges, as the field adjusted to the demanding nature of the brand-new circuit.