Russell tops first practice at new Madrid circuit, warns of unforgiving walls
George Russell set the fastest time in opening practice for the Spanish Grand Prix on the new Madrid street circuit. He described the track as having less margin for error than Monaco, citing high-speed corners and walls that close in on drivers. Russell also mentioned specific corners where braking lock-ups could be common.
The Madring circuit, constructed around an exhibition complex near Madrid's airport, delivered an incident-free opening session despite its demanding layout. Several drivers, including Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, made light contact with the barriers without sustaining damage, while Charles Leclerc ran wide at Turn 17 into the runoff area. Russell's margin over teammate Kimi Antonelli was 0.286 seconds, with Ferrari showing strong early pace on medium tyres before Mercedes surged ahead on softs.
Russell highlighted the track's unique challenge, comparing its high-speed sweeps to Jeddah and noting that braking zones at Turns Five, Seven, and 17 could produce frequent lock-ups, reminiscent of Baku's Turn 15. The circuit's walls angle toward approaching cars, reducing recovery room at speed. Verstappen finished fifth, with Norris sixth, as the midfield pack, including Lindblad, Piastri, Hulkenberg, and Lawson, rounded out the top ten.
This debut race in Madrid could reshape Formula 1's relationship with Spain, potentially drawing new audiences from a football-centric market and boosting local tourism and business exposure. The circuit's demanding nature may increase safety discussions among drivers and officials, influencing future track design standards. Fans may see closer competition if the layout creates overtaking opportunities or unexpected incidents, while the sport's commercial partners could benefit from a fresh, high-profile venue that extends F1's reach into a major European capital.