George Russell Tops Historic First F1 Session at Madring for Spanish Grand Prix

Mercedes driver George Russell set the pace in the inaugural Formula 1 session at the brand-new Madring circuit, leading Free Practice 1 for the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix. The session marked the first time F1 cars have run on the Madrid street layout, with 20 of the 22 entries taking to the track within the opening 100 seconds.

Early Running and Tyre Strategies

Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto were the last to emerge from the garages. Initial flying laps were tentative, with most drivers circulating in the 1m42s to 1m45s range. However, Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Lando Norris immediately dropped into the 1m39s bracket.

Lap times tumbled rapidly. Within eight minutes, Hamilton—now driving for Ferrari—lowered the benchmark to 1m36.066s. He successively improved to 1m35.563s and 1m34.803s on medium tyres. Team-mate Charles Leclerc briefly went 0.120s quicker, but Hamilton responded with a 1m34.620s to reclaim top spot before the soft-compound runs began.

Gabriel Bortoleto was the only driver to start on hard tyres. When the field switched to softs, Kimi Antonelli and Russell’s opening efforts fell 0.063s and 0.109s short of Hamilton’s medium-tyre reference.

Mercedes Lock Out the Front Row

Russell’s third flyer—a 1m34.145s—moved him to the top of the timesheets. He then improved to a session-best 1m34.077s. Antonelli followed in 1m34.363s, giving Mercedes a 1-2.

Both Leclerc and Hamilton ran wide at Turn 17. Leclerc narrowly improved his personal best, while Hamilton ended the session as the only driver not to set his quickest lap on soft tyres—alongside Yuki Tsunoda, whose Running Bulls suffered a power-steering failure with 25 minutes remaining.

Midfield Battle and Impeding Incidents

Verstappen finished fifth ahead of Norris, Arvid Lindblad—who cleared the midfield pack—and Oscar Piastri. Hulkenberg, Liam Lawson, Bortoleto, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and Colapinto were grouped between 1m35.5s and 1m35.9s.

Home favourite Fernando Alonso placed an encouraging 15th by Aston Martin’s current standards, ahead of one Haas, both Williams, both Cadillacs, and team-mate Lance Stroll.

The session’s main flashpoint came when Lindblad, on a flying lap, encountered the slow-moving Mercedes of Antonelli and Ferrari of Hamilton in the La Monumental section.

“These same two guys, man! Like, I don’t know what they’re doing, they’re just stupid, right in the fast corner! It’s actually very dangerous, it’s been twice now.”

Hamilton was subsequently involved in further impeding incidents at the expense of Leclerc and Hulkenberg. Carlos Sainz also complained over team radio about the manner in which the seven-time world champion let him past at La Monumental.

Spanish Grand Prix FP1 Classification

Full session results and statistical analysis are available via the official timing screens.