Leclerc Predicts Madrid Qualifying Will Be Among 2026’s Toughest Tests
Charles Leclerc expects qualifying at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix to rank as “one of the most challenging qualifying sessions of the year” as Formula 1 tackles the brand-new Madring street circuit for the first time. The Madrid venue has replaced Barcelona as the host of the Spanish Grand Prix and presents a high-commitment layout featuring 22 corners, including the 13.5-degree banked La Monumental curve.
Drivers Divided on Overtaking Prospects
While several drivers have spoken positively about the track after Friday practice, the paddock is bracing for a high-stakes Saturday session. George Russell labeled the circuit a “very high risk circuit,” and Leclerc echoed the sentiment that track position will be paramount.
“The track is very exciting. It’s very exciting, it’s very challenging, and it’s a street track as well. So these are the tracks that I normally quite enjoy, and there’s no exception to that. It was really nice to be driving on this new track. There’s still a lot of work to be done, and I expect it to be one of the most challenging qualifying sessions of the year, being such a commitment track.”
The Ferrari driver emphasized that Saturday’s session will dictate the weekend’s outcome, citing the extreme difficulty of passing even with a significant pace advantage.
“Qualifying is for sure going to be the key moment of the weekend, because particularly in FP2, I tried to overtake, but even with the large pace delta, it was extremely difficult or impossible to overtake. So most of the performance this weekend will be based on the qualifying.”
Mercedes Sets Early Pace
Leclerc finished third in FP1 and second in FP2, trailing Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli by 0.459s and 0.113s respectively. Despite the deficit, the Monegasque remained measured about the early running.
“The feeling was pretty good, but it’s true that Mercedes seems to be strong. However, we don’t really focus on what P1 says today [Friday], because we don’t know what the others are doing with their run plan for us. It was all about trying to maximise laps on the new track, to try and make sure that we have as many data as we want, and for us to be also at ease with the track coming tomorrow in qualifying. But I think we did a good work today, and we’ll see tomorrow in qualifying.”
With Madrid’s tight confines and combined brake-and-turn corners amplifying the importance of grid position, all eyes turn to a qualifying session that could well decide the victor before Sunday’s race even begins.
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has revealed he has done absolutely no preparation for his upcoming 30-lap go-kart challenge against 100 competitors at Silverstone next week. The Red Bull Racing driver will start from the back of the grid and attempt to overtake every participant on the historic circuit.
Verstappen: “I’ll Just Rock Up and Do My Thing”
Speaking to media ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, the Dutchman displayed his trademark relaxed confidence when questioned about the unique event. The field includes athletes, streamers, content creators, personalities, and fans.
“No, I didn’t do anything,” he explained when asked if he has looked up who his competitors would be. “I’ll just rock up and have a good time, to be honest. Let’s see how it goes. But yeah, it’s a lot of people.
“Starting from the back, it’s going to be challenging, but I hope I can catch them all. But we don’t know yet. I don’t even know the format at the moment. So I will just rock up and do my thing.”
F1 Rivals Weigh In on the Spectacle
The challenge has drawn attention from Verstappen’s Formula 1 peers, who offered mixed assessments of his chances during their own press commitments.
Leclerc Urges Caution for Both Sides
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, speaking in Italy, highlighted the potential risks involved with such a large field.
“I mean, 100 is a lot,” the Monegasque driver explained in Italy. “Honestly, the only advice I’ll give is maybe not to crash into Max, because he’s got a season to finish, and for Max to be careful, because I don’t know how professional those drivers are.
“But 100 drivers is quite a lot on a track, so I think it will be fun. But obviously, when you’re racing against one of the best drivers in the world, they’ll probably have a tough time.”
Sainz Predicts Easy Victory Based on Personal Experience
Williams driver Carlos Sainz provided a more mathematical prediction during the Madrid press conference, drawing on his own recent karting experience.
“I did a karting race yesterday with my team. Started 20th because we did reverse grid and I was P1 in five laps. So by my calculations, if there are another 20 times five, in 20 laps Max will be P1 for sure. 15-20 laps, or who knows, depends how much overtaking there is. But he will win it easy.”
The Silverstone event promises to be a unique spectacle, pitting one of motorsport’s greatest current talents against a massive, eclectic grid in identical machinery. With zero preparation and a relaxed mindset, Verstappen appears ready to embrace the chaos.
Mercedes Leads Long-Run Pace in Spanish GP Friday Practice
George Russell set the benchmark during Friday’s practice sessions for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, posting the fastest long-run average with a heavy fuel load. Max Verstappen remained the closest challenger, trailing the Mercedes driver by just 0.13 seconds per lap after adjustments for tyre compounds and stint lengths. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli slotted in third, though he was 0.55 seconds per lap off Russell’s pace.
Ferrari and McLaren struggled across the board in race simulations. Both Ferraris were approximately nine-tenths of a second per lap slower than Mercedes, while Oscar Piastri’s long run was 1.51 seconds per lap adrift. Lando Norris was unable to complete any long runs due to technical issues.
Mercedes Sandbagging Pattern Raises Eyebrows
The competition may be particularly concerned by a look back at last weekend in Italy. There, Mercedes was level with Ferrari in long runs on Friday, while McLaren was two-tenths of a second off the pace. On race Sunday, however, the Silver Arrows were ultimately eight-tenths per lap faster than both teams. Mercedes therefore traditionally appears to show less on Fridays than the competition, which could be a bad omen for the rest of the weekend. However, caution is also required, as the track in Madrid is new. Larger setup changes can therefore be expected for Saturday.
The competition also appears closer over a single lap. If the fastest sector times of each driver are added together, Charles Leclerc could theoretically have set the fastest lap with a 1:33.478. Of the top six drivers, however, only Arvid Lindblad was able to combine all of his best sector times into a single lap.
The question remains where Mercedes’ advantage comes from, particularly in the long runs. The answer appears to be clear: the competition is losing too much time in the final sector. Mercedes was already able to set the fastest time in the third sector during qualifying simulations, but with a lot of fuel on board, the team can apparently extend that advantage even further.
Looking at the telemetry data, it is noticeable that Mercedes appears to use less battery power in the first sector, yet is still only marginally slower than the competition. In the final sector, however, Mercedes has a clear top-speed advantage, which appears to pay off particularly in the long-run mapping. While Mercedes excels in the final sector, Ferrari can score points in the first sector, while Max Verstappen and Red Bull are very strong in the fast second sector. McLaren is the only team that is consistently too slow across all three sectors.
Ferrari appear to be off the pace of Mercedes. Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Midfield Shake-Up: Haas Emerges as Surprise Package
Racing Bulls once again made headlines in the midfield on Friday – and for two reasons. Firstly, Arvid Lindblad finished fourth in the second practice session, just 0.228s off the pace. Shortly afterwards, however, he caused a heavy crash that resulted in a red flag. As a result, Racing Bulls was unable to complete any truly representative long runs. Team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was also running a different programme and completed his qualifying and race simulations in a single stint, probably with a low fuel load.
That meant Haas actually recorded the best long-run pace in the midfield. Esteban Ocon was just 0.92s per lap behind Mercedes’ Russell during his stint, putting the Frenchman practically on Ferrari’s level. Alpine (+1.60), Audi (+2.20), Williams (+2.58), Cadillac (+4.00) and Aston Martin (+4.33) followed behind, with some considerable gaps.
Racing Bulls had a strong Friday. Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
However, caution is also required here given that this is the Madrid track’s debut. There is still plenty of potential for setup changes to alter the picture.
Tyre Degradation Debate: “Six Stops” vs. One-Stop Predictions
The performance of some teams was not the only surprise on Friday. The behaviour of the tyres was also unexpected. As a street circuit with what is essentially a smooth asphalt surface, high tyre degradation was not initially expected. However, that may now be changing.
“At the beginning it was tricky because the track has so much grip, even though it is completely new asphalt,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained to Sky. “And interestingly, we have the opposite problem to what we expected. We can’t quite get the tyre up to temperature. It takes a lap and then it gets a little better. But of course, the tyre degradation is incredible, because of the grip.”
When asked more specifically, Wolff spoke of “eight tenths of degradation per lap” in the first free practice session.
“We’ve never seen that before,” said Wolff. “Our strategy chief said six stops. But I think in the end it will be one stop.”
Toto Wolff warned about tyre degradation in Spain. Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Nevertheless, degradation in the second free practice session was also around three-tenths per lap during the long runs. At the moment, that points more towards a two-stop race than a one-stop strategy. However, more running should bring more grip to the track, which could reduce tyre degradation over the course of the weekend.
Just how unclear the tyre situation still is can also be seen in a contrasting statement from Pirelli’s motorsport chief Dario Marrafuschi, also speaking to Sky:
“The grip of the asphalt is really good, so we will most likely have less degradation than expected.”
The further course of the weekend in Madrid will show who ultimately gets their prediction right.
Sky Sports Formula 1 lead commentator David Croft has backed Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli to become a younger world champion than Max Verstappen, citing the Italian’s rapid development and exceptional maturity.
Historic Monza Victory Extends Championship Lead
Antonelli delivered an incredible performance at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, driving from 19th on the grid to victory in front of his home crowd. The 20-year-old became the first home driver to win at Monza in 60 years, extending his championship lead over his team-mate George Russell to 66 points ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Croft Draws Parallels With Verstappen’s Early Career
During an appearance on the Sky Sports F1 Show, Croft compared Antonelli’s current trajectory to that of Verstappen, who made his F1 debut at 17, won his first race at 18 and his first championship at 24.
“12 months ago he was at Monza and was just coming out of a very difficult period where, from the podium in Canada, things had started to go wrong and he wasn’t happy,” Croft explained. “He was working really hard with Bono [Peter Bonnington] to try and put things right and then went on a really good run towards the end of the season.
“It’s almost like he’s growing up with less experience than Max. Max had that experience with Toro Rosso for a season and then a couple of races before he went up to the Red Bull team.
“He’s doing things earlier than Max. He’s going to be a younger world champion than Max was. He is a younger polesitter. He is a younger grand prix winner. He’s getting everything done very, very early indeed and showing a lot of maturity with it.
Emotional Control Marks Generational Talent
Croft emphasized that Antonelli’s emotional control distinguishes him as a generational talent, noting visible improvement in the youngster’s racecraft.
“I’ve seen and heard signs on the track this year where he’s controlling his emotions. He’s calming down. He’s keeping a lid on things that might have got the better of him 12 months ago.
“That is why people are saying this man is a generational talent because it’s one thing to have an ability, it’s another to have that controlled ability and to start being very mature at an age where I think all three of us can agree we certainly wouldn’t have been capable of doing anything near what Kimi Antonelli is doing.”
Record-Breaking Season Underway
Antonelli took the lead of the standings after back-to-back wins in the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix. He went on to secure four more victories before the summer break and his win in Italy was his seventh F1 win.
For context, Sebastian Vettel became the youngest F1 champion in history, claiming his first title in 2010 at the age of 23 years and 134 days.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing. Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images
Kimi Antonelli Leads FP2 at Spanish Grand Prix as Mercedes Shines in Madrid
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli topped the second practice session for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix on Friday, edging out Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at the challenging new Madring circuit in Madrid. The championship leader set the benchmark early and improved steadily as track conditions evolved, ultimately posting a 1m33.662s on soft tyres to lead the timesheets.
Tricky Madrid Layout Tests Drivers from the Outset
The 5.4-kilometre hybrid layout — combining street sections with a purpose-built high-speed loop — proved difficult to master from the opening session. With virtually no runoff areas, teams adopted a cautious approach in FP1, prioritising rhythm and muscle memory over outright pace. That conservatism carried into the early stages of FP2, though lap times began to tumble as grip levels improved.
Antonelli set the initial pace on medium tyres with a 1m34.428s, only for Max Verstappen to briefly take over before the Mercedes driver responded with a 1m33.926s. Turn 17 emerged as a particular flashpoint, with multiple drivers running wide on exit and triggering track-limits violations.
Soft-Tyre Runs Shuffle Order Before Red Flag Halts Action
The session intensified at the halfway mark as most drivers switched to the soft compound, which proved demanding to keep in its optimal temperature window under sustained lateral loads. Antonelli again set the reference with his session-best 1m33.662s. Team-mate George Russell slotted in just a tenth behind, while Ferrari duo Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc followed in third and fourth.
Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad delivered an eye-catching performance to sit fourth before his afternoon ended abruptly. The British rookie slid into the barriers at Turn 13, a medium-speed left-hander, bringing out the red flags with 25 minutes remaining. Lindblad escaped unharmed, but the TecPro barrier repairs consumed the remaining session time, freezing the order at the top.
Norris Sidelined by Gearbox Issue; Home Heroes Struggle
McLaren endured a difficult Friday. Reigning world champion Lando Norris completed just two laps before a transmission issue forced him into the garage for a gearbox change, leaving Oscar Piastri as the team’s sole representative in seventh. Meanwhile, local favourites Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso finished 16th and 17th respectively, with Alonso’s start delayed by a clutch problem on his Aston Martin.
Spanish GP FP2 Classification – Top 10
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1m33.662s
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)
Esteban Ocon (Haas)
Liam Lawson (Red Bull)
Tsunoda, making his third appearance of the season while Isack Hadjar recovers from a wrist injury, impressed in eighth. Haas driver Esteban Ocon and Red Bull’s Liam Lawson rounded out the top 10.
With the Madring circuit continuing to evolve and tyre management critical, Saturday’s final practice and qualifying sessions promise further shifts in the competitive order.
The Cadillac Formula 1 team has received two fines after Sergio Perez was caught speeding in the pit lane during the first free practice session (FP1) at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
Perez Breaches Pit Lane Speed Limit Twice
The Mexican driver exceeded the mandatory 80 km/h pit lane speed limit on two separate occasions during the opening session of the weekend. FIA stewards penalized the American outfit for breaching Article B1.6.3a.i of the FIA F1 regulations.
First offence: A fine of €700 after Perez was clocked at 86.7 km/h, exceeding the limit by 6.7 km/h.
Second offence: A heavier penalty of €1,000 after Perez was recorded travelling at 96.7 km/h, exceeding the limit by 16.7 km/h.
Difficult Debut Season Continues for Cadillac
The infractions come amid a challenging inaugural campaign for the Cadillac squad. As the team works to adapt to the championship, it has grappled with significant reliability issues. In the drivers’ standings, Perez currently sits 23rd while his team-mate Valtteri Bottas occupies 22nd place; both drivers have yet to score a point.
Madrid Debut: The Madring Circuit
The first practice session in Madrid also marked the first time Formula 1 drivers tackled the Madring circuit. Built around the IFEMA Madrid exhibition centre and the nearby Valdebebas district, the venue operates a semi-street circuit layout. The track features a mix of tight zones and high-speed straights, highlighted by a banked, sweeping curve named “La Monumental”.
Perez: “A Proper Race Track”
Speaking to the media ahead of the race weekend, Perez offered his initial impressions based on simulator work:
“The track itself is a proper race track, from what I’ve seen,” Perez told the media ahead of the race weekend. “I haven’t been on the circuit yet, but from what I’ve seen on the simulator, it’s a proper track.
“It’s a bit scary, I’ll say. It reminds me a bit of Jeddah. Good, proper track, really happy to be here, and I think the atmosphere here is going to be one of the best.”
FP1 Results
The 36-year-old concluded the session with the 21st fastest time, finishing only ahead of team-mate Bottas.
Pedro de la Rosa Praises Lance Stroll’s Raw Speed, Calls Him “As Quick” as Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin Formula 1 ambassador Pedro de la Rosa has delivered a strong endorsement of Lance Stroll, stating the Canadian driver can match two-time world champion Fernando Alonso in outright pace when the car behaves predictably. Speaking on the Beyond The Grid podcast, the former F1 driver highlighted Stroll’s underrated qualifying speed and racecraft, while acknowledging the machinery challenges that have masked his true level.
Teammate Comparison Since 2023
Stroll and Alonso have shared the Aston Martin garage since the start of the 2023 season. Over that span, Alonso holds a decisive statistical edge: he has outqualified Stroll 89 times to 15 and outscored him 335 points to 131. Even in the 2026 campaign, with Alonso now 45 and Stroll more experienced, the Spaniard remains roughly three tenths of a second faster per qualifying lap on average.
Despite the numbers, de la Rosa—who analyses performance through a data-driven lens—argues the raw speed gap is far narrower than the results suggest.
“Lance Is Super Fast” – De la Rosa’s Data-Driven Verdict
“Lance is super fast,” the former F1 driver said. “You know, I love to watch data because I’m data-driven. And I like to see where one driver is faster than the other. And Lance, in many circuits, in many corners, is unbeatable.
“It’s not like you can say Lance is fast in high-speed, Fernando in… They’re both very evenly matched.
De la Rosa emphasized that Stroll’s strength spans every corner type, dismissing the notion that either driver holds a sector-specific advantage.
“Lance is extremely quick in all types of corners. It’s just that sometimes he’s had some mistakes in qualifying or little things that then eventually if you don’t qualify up there, it just compromises the whole weekend. That’s where he’s missing, you know, it’s just sometimes putting everything together in quali.
“But sometimes he gets it in quali and he outqualifies Fernando, which is like… I mean, we’re talking about Fernando Alonso, you know.
“And in races, his race pace is impressive as well. He’s very good managing tyres.”
The Critical Variable: Car Driveability
De la Rosa was clear that Stroll’s ability to extract maximum performance is highly sensitive to the car’s characteristics. He described the current Aston Martin as “a very difficult car right now for many reasons, not only car, chassis, but also on the engine, we have to make improvements on driveability.”
“I think Lance is a very underrated driver,” he continued. “When we improve the car and make it a bit more driver-friendly – I must say it’s a very difficult car right now for many reasons, not only car, chassis, but also on the engine, we have to make improvements on driveability – whenever the car is driving properly, he’s as quick as Fernando. There’s no question about that.”
The ambassador’s assessment reframes Stroll’s deficit as a product of machinery limitations and qualifying consistency rather than a fundamental pace shortage. If Aston Martin delivers a more balanced, driveable package, de la Rosa believes the intra-team battle will be far closer than the standings indicate.
Former Formula 1 driver and current F1 TV pundit Jolyon Palmer asserts that Ferrari has missed its opportunity to prioritize Lewis Hamilton’s championship aspirations, arguing that the Scuderia has already seen its title hopes evaporate.
Disastrous Home Race Precipitates Crisis
The assessment arrives on the heels of a catastrophic Italian Grand Prix at Monza for the Fred Vasseur-led squad. Starting third and fourth respectively, Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc collided at Turn 1 on the opening lap. The incident set the tone for a weekend that saw Leclerc crash out on the second lap, effectively surrendering significant ground in a championship fight that was already tilting against them.
Championship Standings Highlight Uphill Battle
The points deficit underscores the magnitude of the challenge. Hamilton currently sits third in the drivers’ standings with 191 points, a substantial 76 points adrift of championship leader Kimi Antonelli. Leclerc languishes in fifth place with 155 points. With the gap widening, external pressure has mounted for Ferrari to anoint a clear number-one driver, but Palmer contends that strategic window has firmly shut.
Palmer: “The Ship Has Sailed” on Title Hopes
Speaking on the F1 TV Weekend Warm-Up show ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Palmer delivered a blunt verdict when asked if the team should now back Hamilton exclusively.
“Well, I feel like it’s too late,” Palmer said during the F1 TV Weekend Warm-Up show when asked if it is time for Ferrari to back Hamilton in the title fight.
“The ship has sailed. I feel like they’re drifting away from championship contention. They’re not going to make it. I don’t think they’re quick enough.”
Internal Rivalry Undermines Collective Progress
Palmer expanded on his analysis, highlighting a persistent pattern of intra-team conflict that has prevented Ferrari from maximizing its weekends. He noted the irony of drivers acknowledging the need for cooperation while continuing to race each other aggressively.
“And the drivers are so focused on beating each other that Lewis is talking there about how they need to start working together. We’re on round 14. I think back to China and they were knocking into each other, and there was a little bit of contact. They were absolutely swinging for each other for a podium while the Mercedes escaped.”
“You thought, OK, they don’t have the pace to beat Mercedes on that day and it was fun to watch, and they do race each other really hard. They have done all season, but I can’t think of a single time where they’ve actually worked together.”
Missed Opportunities at Key Rounds
The pundit cited specific races where a lack of coordination cost the team dearly, contrasting the drivers’ fortunes when the other was not a factor.
“Think of Lewis’s win and Charles wasn’t in contention in Barcelona, and Charles’s win and Lewis had jumped the start and wasn’t really in contention at Silverstone.”
“So when they have an inferior car, I do feel like they had to probably prioritise a driver, if not at least make sure that they’re working together in any given race.”
Monza Qualifying Advantage Squandered
Palmer pointed to the Monza grid as the latest example of a strategic opportunity wasted. With the McLarens and Max Verstappen starting behind the Ferraris, and one Mercedes further back, the stage was set for a major points haul on home soil.
“Starting third and fourth at Monza with one Mercedes at the back, both McLarens behind them, Max Verstappen behind as well, you’re thinking, OK, you’ve actually got a great chance to take the fight on your home turf. And they immediately started having a go with each other.”
As the paddock moves to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix, the scrutiny on Ferrari’s driver management and car performance will only intensify, with Palmer’s assessment suggesting the structural issues run deeper than a simple hierarchy adjustment can fix.
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.
Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has offered a contrasting assessment of the Mercedes driver lineup, suggesting George Russell is overthinking his approach while championship leader Kimi Antonelli is performing with instinctive ease. The analysis arrives as the paddock prepares for the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit in Madrid.
Montoya Analyzes Mercedes Dynamic After Monza 1-2
The Brackley-based squad celebrated a dominant 1-2 finish at the recent Italian Grand Prix. Antonelli secured a remarkable victory in front of his home crowd after starting 19th on the grid, while Russell finished second. Speaking on the F1 TV Weekend Warm-Up show, Montoya highlighted a fundamental difference in how the two drivers are extracting performance from the machinery.
“He needs to learn and understand why it works so well for Kimi,” Montoya said of Russell.
“The medium tyres were a little better than people expected on speed, especially as they got older. Actually, the speed stayed, there was really no degradation on those tyres. I think George is trying to overanalyse everything with the driving. He wants to do everything so right.
“And Kimi is letting it happen more naturally. Kimi is just going for it, and things are working out. It’s like whatever he’s doing is working, and it’s really hard to beat Kimi because he doesn’t seem to get it wrong. His wrongs end up being right.”
Antonelli’s ‘Unbeatable’ Rhythm
The Colombian seven-time race winner elaborated on the Italian rookie’s current form, describing a scenario where even errors translate into advantages.
“He goes through the gravel and he gases it and the car keeps going. He just can’t get it wrong. And when you have that, it’s really hard to beat.
“George needs to understand the way he’s managing the tyres, maybe he needs to be a little more aggressive and just keep trying. He’s got the guy there. He’s got the information. And I think it’s a good lesson for George to get himself to a better level. The speed is not the question. It’s how the execution is happening.”
Championship Standings Context
Heading into the Spanish Grand Prix weekend, the championship picture reflects Antonelli’s strong start to the season. The Mercedes rookie holds a 66-point advantage over his more experienced teammate in the drivers’ standings, underscoring the effectiveness of the natural driving style Montoya described.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell at Mercedes. Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images
