George Russell assesses tyre degradation concerns at new Madring circuit

George Russell recorded top-five finishes in both opening practice sessions at the new Madring circuit on Friday. Ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver identified significant tyre degradation as a primary obstacle for the field. Russell noted that the track's long La Monumental corner puts extreme stress on tyres, creating thermal management challenges that may alter strategy. Mercedes Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord echoed these concerns, observing that the circuit's sequence of corners leaves little opportunity for tyre cooling. While initial practice showed high degradation, the team remains cautious about race-day requirements. Arvid Lindblad’s crash in the afternoon restricted long-run data collection for teams, leaving uncertainty regarding optimal setups for Sunday. Mercedes intends to review data before finalizing its approach to the upcoming race sessions.