Mercedes sets early long-run pace in Spanish GP practice at Madring
Friday practice at the Madring provided the first meaningful data for the Spanish Grand Prix and early clues about the competitive order. On long runs, Mercedes appeared to lead the field, with Max Verstappen close behind and Kimi Antonelli third-fastest.
The first full day of Formula 1 running at the Madring offered teams their first substantial read on the new venue ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. According to the early practice picture, the session did not bring the level of chaos some had predicted, but it did begin to separate the early winners and losers.
Long-run analysis from Friday suggested Mercedes had the strongest pace over extended stints. George Russell was the quickest in that comparison with higher fuel loads, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was identified as his nearest rival after adjustments for tyre compounds and stint lengths, at 0.13 seconds per lap slower.
Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader, was reported as the third-fastest driver on long runs. The early data from the Madring also pointed to the main competitive threat heading into the rest of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend.
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