George Russell kicked off the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix weekend in style, setting the fastest time in the first free practice session (FP1) at the Madring circuit. The Mercedes driver edged out his teammate Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.
This FP1 session marked F1's first outing in Spain this year, and drivers were cautious exploring the new track. Nevertheless, Russell showcased solid pace, repeating Mercedes' impressive form from Monza.
Antonelli, a rookie, once again demonstrated his potential by taking second place, just 0.286 seconds behind Russell. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc had to settle for third, 0.459 seconds adrift.
The Ferrari duo, Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, were competitive, occupying third and fourth positions. Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, was 0.543 seconds off Russell's pace. Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing had to settle for fifth, with a gap of 0.620 seconds.
Lando Norris of McLaren took sixth, followed by Arvid Lindblad of Racing Bulls in a surprising seventh. Oscar Piastri of McLaren was eighth, while Nico Hulkenberg of Audi and Liam Lawson of Red Bull Racing completed the top ten.
The session also served as a proving ground for new teams like Audi and Cadillac. Audi placed both cars in the top ten, with Hulkenberg ninth and Gabriel Bortoleto eleventh. Meanwhile, Cadillac, with Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, had to settle for 21st and 22nd.
The FP1 results indicate that the 2026 season will be highly competitive. Mercedes appear to be back to their best, while Ferrari and Red Bull are not far behind. Qualifying and the race will be the true test for the drivers and teams.
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