Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli posted the fastest lap during Friday practice at the Spanish Grand Prix on September 11, 2026, outpacing Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton on the newly unveiled Madring circuit.
Kimi Antonelli Leads Friday Practice at the New Madring Circuit
Formula 1 arrived in Madrid for the first time as Kimi Antonelli ended Friday’s running as the quickest driver on track. The Italian driver clocked an unbeatable lap of 1m 33.662s during the second practice session before a red flag halted the action, giving him a slim advantage over the competition at the newly constructed 5.416km layout.
F1 comes to Madrid for the first time today (Friday September 11) as the new Madring circuit makes its official bow with the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix. The action gets under way with two free practice sessions today (Friday) and one tomorrow (Saturday) as the excitement in the Spanish capital reaches fever pitch.
The new Madring track, 5.416km in length and boasting 22 corners, is expected to provide a thrilling weekend of action, and maybe a safety car or two. A recent F3 testing day at the circuit brought out 19 (NINETEEN) red flags while Williams team principal James Vowles says the track is ‘a car killer’.
The big feature of the circuit is the sweeping banked La Monumental curve which will have jaws dropping in the grandstands and on TV screens around the world.
With no F1 sprint this weekend, there will be three Free Practice sessions at the Madring. The action starts today at 1330 local time (1230 UK) with Free Practice 1, while Free Practice 2 is at 1700 local time (1600 UK).
Ferrari and Mercedes Set the Early Pace in Spain
Behind Antonelli, Scuderia Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton occupied the next spots on the timesheets during the afternoon session. Leclerc finished just over a tenth behind the pacesetter with a 1m 33.775s lap, while Hamilton followed closely at 1m 33.811s.
Mercedes teammate George Russell had earlier topped the morning times during Free Practice 1, leading Antonelli in a Mercedes one-two before opting out of his qualifying simulation in the afternoon session to finish fifth with a time of 1m 33.999s.
Haas’ Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman were the first to head out in the high temperatures, leading a long queue of their competitors before George Russell – who topped the times in FP1 – set an early benchmark of 1m 36.011s. He was soon demoted down the timesheets as Ferrari continued their impressive showing on the medium tyres, with Leclerc claiming the top spot until the standings leader completed his first effort to go over a second clear.
As is expected on a track with a freshly laid surface, the evolution was notable and Leclerc closed the gap to just 0.001s, ensuring that the Mercedes and Ferrari drivers occupied P1-P4 in the opening 15 minutes.
Track Incidents and Mechanical Trouble Limit Running
The high-risk nature of the fresh circuit caught out Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad during the second session. Coming into Turn 13, Lindblad lost the rear and crashed into the barriers, bringing out the only red flag of the afternoon and ending his day early while leaving him fourth fastest overall with a time of 1m 33.890s.
Other teams battled reliability hurdles on the brand-new asphalt. McLaren was forced to change a gearbox on Lando Norris’ car, restricting him to the garage and preventing him from setting a representative time. Teammate Oscar Piastri complained about a lack of rear grip during his runs, though the Australian managed to improve on the soft compound before his lap was eclipsed by Lindblad.
Aston Martin confirmed that Fernando Alonso missed the beginning of the session due to a clutch issue he suffered following his practice starts in FP1.
Max Verstappen was sixth with a time of 1m 34.063s, with Oscar Piastri seventh at 1m 34.200s. Yuki Tsunoda was eighth for Racing Bulls at 1m 34.758s, followed by Haas’ Esteban Ocon in ninth at 1m 34.867s and Red Bull’s Liam Lawson rounding out the top 10 at 1m 34.938s. Pierre Gasly claimed P11 for the BWT Alpine F1 Team with a 1m 34.959s lap.
Drivers Debate the Technical Challenges of the Madring
Drivers offered mixed assessments of the new Spanish venue as they explored its limits. With a limited amount of time to learn the new circuit, all 22 drivers were eager to make the most of Free Practice and begin to push the limits – ideally whilst avoiding the daunting walls that line the Madring.
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Kimi Antonelli ended Friday as the fastest driver at the Spanish Grand Prix as Formula 1 completed its first day at the Madring. Antonelli stamped his authority in Madrid, leading the way from Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, on a weekend that appears set to be fought between Mercedes and the Scuderia.
