George Russell fastest in first Madring practice; Alonso and Sainz far back

George Russell (Mercedes) set the fastest time in the inaugural Formula 1 practice session at the new Madring circuit in Madrid, posting a 1:34.077. His teammate Kimi Antonelli was second, just 0.286 seconds behind, confirming Mercedes' early pace on the soft tyres Source: infobae.

Traffic and track challenges

Drivers immediately flagged the difficulty of overtaking on the 5.5 km street circuit, which features only two short straights and constant bends. The layout caused persistent traffic; at one point Racing Bulls driver Lindblad exclaimed over the radio about two slow cars, 'Son estúpidos' Source: ABC. Max Verstappen warned that 'a small mistake can lead to an accident' Source: infobae. Despite concerns, the session ran without major incidents, though a Formula 2 car caught fire earlier in the day Source: infobae.

Spanish drivers struggle

Local heroes Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) and Carlos Sainz (Williams) ended 15th and 17th respectively, 2.4 and 2.8 seconds off the pace. Alonso escaped a moment at the Búnker section Source: infobae. Sainz reported graining issues and complained about traffic: 'Lewis always does the same' Source: infobae. Both appear unlikely to challenge for points on Sunday.