Lawson Secures Top 10 in Practice at New Madrid Circuit

Antonelli Leads Practice as Lindblad Crash Brings Out Red Flags

Kimi Antonelli maintained his momentum following an Italian Grand Prix victory in Monza, topping the afternoon practice session at the 5.4-kilometre Madring track. According to Associated Press, the circuit combines city roads and purpose-built sections, featuring high-speed corners, heavy-braking areas, and walls sitting close to the asphalt. Mercedes teammate George Russell set the pace in the first practice session before finishing fifth in the afternoon.

“It is a very cool circuit to drive around,” Antonelli told reporters, as quoted by Associated Press. “It is a real challenge for us as drivers, with lots of high-speed corners and walls close by. You need to be very precise with your lines and good on the brakes.”

The afternoon running saw the weekend’s first stoppage when Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad lost control of his car at Turn 13, smashing sideways into the barriers and triggering a red flag with 24 minutes remaining, as reported by Associated Press. Despite the crash, Lindblad finished the session fourth fastest. “I’m really sorry, I lost it super early,” Lindblad told his team over the radio, according to Associated Press.

Lawson Navigates Madrid Debut with Top-Ten Stints

Interim Red Bull driver Liam Lawson secured two top-ten finishes during Friday’s practice sessions, placing tenth in both stints and finishing approximately 0.8 seconds behind teammate Max Verstappen each time, according to Associated Press. Lawson emphasized the importance of maximizing track time on an unfamiliar layout.

“On a track like this, you want to have as much time on track as possible,” Lawson stated, via Associated Press. “When you go to tracks like Monza and other places we’ve been there plenty of times, they’re pretty simple tracks, and it’s not so important.”

Verstappen noted the tight competition across the grid and the nature of current F1 machinery. “Liam jumps from the Racing Bulls to the Red Bull — immediately competitive. It’s because these cars are numb to your driver inputs,” Verstappen pointed out, according to Associated Press.

Ferrari Pace and Tyre Degradation Challenges

Ferrari showed strong form on Friday, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton claiming second and third respectively in the second practice session, roughly a tenth of a second behind Antonelli, per Associated Press data. Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lando Norris had his afternoon session cut short due to a gearbox issue, after finishing sixth in opening practice, according to Associated Press.

Drivers and teams raised concerns regarding high tyre degradation across the abrasive new asphalt. Mercedes driver George Russell noted that initial tyre wear estimates suggested an impractical number of pit stops. “With the tyre degradation we all had, we think a six-stop race would probably have been the fastest way,” Russell said, according to Associated Press. “I don’t think anybody’s going to do a six-stop race on Sunday and I’m sure tyre deg will be better, but with that big long corner, it really hurts the tyres.”

Local Heroes Struggle Amid High Ticket Demand

Organizers reported that tickets for the Spanish Grand Prix are sold out, with an expected attendance of 350,000 spectators across the three-day weekend, according to Associated Press. However, local fans saw limited success for Spanish drivers on the opening day. Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso battled a clutch problem that limited his running, placing 15th in practice one and 17th in practice two. Carlos Sainz finished 17th and 16th for Williams in his home city, per Associated Press records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who set the fastest lap in Friday practice at the Madrid F1 circuit?

Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli set the fastest lap of 1 minute 33.662 seconds during the second practice session, according to Associated Press.

How did Liam Lawson perform in Madrid?

Liam Lawson finished both Friday practice sessions in tenth place for Red Bull, roughly 0.8 seconds behind teammate Max Verstappen, as reported by Associated Press.

Why was the second practice session red-flagged?

The session was briefly halted after Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad crashed into the barriers at Turn 13, according to Associated Press reports.