George Russell leads Mercedes pair in first practice at Madrid circuit
ESPN F1 • 3 min read • Latest: Sep 11, 2026, 1:00 PM
Last updated Sep 11, 2026
George Russell recorded the fastest time in the opening practice session for the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix on Friday. Driving at the new Madring circuit near Madrid, Russell clocked a lap of 1 minute 34.077 seconds. His Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli followed 0.286 seconds behind to secure a one-two result for the team. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished the session in third place, ahead of Lewis Hamilton. The new venue features a layout around an exhibition center and has drawn comparisons to street circuits in Baku and Jeddah due to its tight margins and high-speed sections. An earlier practice session for the Formula Two series was interrupted by a crash at Turn 19 involving Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, though the driver escaped injury.
- •George Russell set the pace at 1 minute 34.077 seconds in the opening practice session.
- •Mercedes locked out the top two spots with Kimi Antonelli finishing second.
- •The new Madring track is a street-circuit style course located near the Madrid airport.
- •Charles Leclerc placed third followed by Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
- •The Formula Two session saw a car fire after Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak hit the barriers at Turn 19.
- 1:45 PMESPN F1 — Russell beats Antonelli to top FP1 in Madrid debut
- 12:48 PMYahoo Sports — Russell tops first practice for F1 Spanish GP as Madrid makes debut
- 12:46 PMBBC Sport — Pacesetter Russell says Madrid 'has less margin than Monaco'
- 12:42 PMRacer — Russell leads opening practice on new F1’s Madrid circuit
- 12:40 PMAutosport — F1 Spanish GP: Mercedes tops FP1 with Russell fastest at Madring
- 12:38 PMMotorsport.com — F1 Spanish GP: George Russell tops FP1 as Lewis Hamilton impedes several drivers
- 12:31 PMYahoo Sports — Russell tops first practice session at Madring as Mercedes leads the Ferraris
- 12:30 PMYahoo Sports — F1 Full Results | Russell on top at the Madring in Spanish GP FP1
"Mercedes’ George Russell was fastest in the first-ever Formula 1 session at the brand-new Madring track – Free Practice 1 for the Spanish Grand Prix. Twenty out of 22 cars took to the brand-new track within the first 100 seconds of the session, with Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto emerging some time later. The very first flying laps were somewhat tentative with most drivers in the ...Keep reading
"Mercedes’ George Russell was fastest in the first-ever Formula 1 session at the brand-new Madring track – first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. Twenty out of 22 cars took to the brand-new track within the first 100 seconds of the session, with Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto emerging some time later. The very first flying laps were somewhat tentative with most drivers in the ...Keep reading
"George Russell led a Mercedes one-two ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the first practice for the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix on Friday at the new track in Madrid. Russell clocked the fastest time of 1 minute 34.
Sources
External links- ESPN F1Sep 11, 2026, 1:45 PMRussell beats Antonelli to top FP1 in Madrid debut
George Russell outpaced Kimi Antonelli to top the first practice session around F1's newest street circuit in Madrid.
- Yahoo SportsSep 11, 2026, 12:48 PMRussell tops first practice for F1 Spanish GP as Madrid makes debut
George Russell led a Mercedes one-two ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the first practice for the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix on Friday at the new track in Madrid. Russell clocked the fastest time of 1 minute 34.
- BBC SportSep 11, 2026, 12:46 PMPacesetter Russell says Madrid 'has less margin than Monaco'
George Russell goes quickest in first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix - hours after saying the circuit has little margin for error.
- RacerSep 11, 2026, 12:42 PMRussell leads opening practice on new F1’s Madrid circuit
George Russell led the first Formula 1 practice session at Spain’s new Madring temporary circuit in Madrid ahead of Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli.
- AutosportSep 11, 2026, 12:40 PMF1 Spanish GP: Mercedes tops FP1 with Russell fastest at Madring
Mercedes’ George Russell was fastest in the first-ever Formula 1 session at the brand-new Madring track – first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. Twenty out of 22 cars took to the brand-new track within the first 100 seconds of the session, with Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto emerging some time later. The very first flying laps were somewhat tentative with most drivers in the ...Keep reading
- Motorsport.comSep 11, 2026, 12:38 PMF1 Spanish GP: George Russell tops FP1 as Lewis Hamilton impedes several drivers
Mercedes’ George Russell was fastest in the first-ever Formula 1 session at the brand-new Madring track – Free Practice 1 for the Spanish Grand Prix. Twenty out of 22 cars took to the brand-new track within the first 100 seconds of the session, with Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto emerging some time later. The very first flying laps were somewhat tentative with most drivers in the ...Keep reading
- Yahoo SportsSep 11, 2026, 12:31 PMRussell tops first practice session at Madring as Mercedes leads the Ferraris
George Russell topped the first ever free practice session at the Madring circuit with a 1:34:077. Kimi Antonelli finished second, while Charles Leclerc completed the top three in the Spanish capital.
- Yahoo SportsSep 11, 2026, 12:30 PMF1 Full Results | Russell on top at the Madring in Spanish GP FP1
George Russell has topped the timing charts in the first practice session at this weekend's Spanish GP, ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc. Russell's lap time of 1:34.
- Formula1.com—Russell tops FP1 as cars hit Madring for first time
George Russell finished fastest in Free Practice 1 ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, heading Mercedes team mate Kimi Antonelli as drivers sampled the Madring for the first time.
- Sky Sports—Russell tops first practice in Madrid as Hamilton frustrates other drivers
George Russell was fastest from Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the first practice session at the new Madring circuit in Madrid.
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