Spanish Grand Prix 2026 – Friday

The first day of the Spanish Grand Prix 2026 has come to a close, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli setting the pace in the two Friday practice sessions. The 5.414 km long Madring circuit, which features 22 corners, is a challenging track for both cars and drivers. The new circuit is hosting a Formula 1 race for the first time since 1981. In the first practice session, Russell and Antonelli both set strong lap times and took the top spot, while the rest of the field focused on getting a feel for the track and building confidence. In the second practice session, the majority of the field opted for a second set of medium tires, saving both sets of hard tires for Sunday’s race. Despite a red flag interrupting the second practice session, both Antonelli and Russell completed a solid program with both low and high fuel loads. Antonelli led the timesheets with his second attempt on soft tires, while Russell finished fifth. However, he was only able to complete one fast lap as his tires were not fully ready at the start of the lap. Both drivers completed a mini-long run on medium tires to gather useful data and insights for Sunday’s 57-lap Grand Prix. Kimi Antonelli reflected on the day, saying that the track is a real challenge for drivers, with many high-speed corners and close barriers. He also mentioned that it’s easy to lock up and that the track requires a precise line and good braking. George Russell also shared his thoughts, saying that it was a lot of fun to drive on the new track and that the team had a good first day. However, he also mentioned that the biggest question after the first day is the high tire wear, which was very high in the first practice session and only slightly reduced in the second session. Russell also mentioned that the track is very challenging, especially in turn 12, which puts a lot of stress on the tires. Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director, also shared his thoughts, saying that new tracks are always a big challenge for engineers, as the preparation work is crucial to get off to a good start. He also mentioned that the team did a solid job in the first practice session, with both drivers improving throughout the session. However, he also noted that the challenge on such tracks is to keep the car in the optimal range, as the grip on the track changes constantly. Shovlin also mentioned that the team worked a lot on a fast lap, but the long run was cut short due to the red flag in the second practice session. He also noted that the front tires are heavily loaded and that will likely be the case on Sunday as well. The team is looking to find more pace for the rest of the weekend, especially if they want to fight for the first row on the grid on Sunday.