Mercedes are hitting the ground running at the Spanish Grand Prix with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli setting the fastest times in Friday's opening practice session at Madrid's brand new Madring circuit. Russell clocked a 1:34.077 to top the timesheets, with teammate Antonelli just three-tenths back in second. It's a commanding start for the Silver Arrows, though there's plenty of track time left before the real battle begins.

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Ferrari put on a solid showing early on thanks to strong performances on the medium compound, but they couldn't quite replicate that form when switching to soft tires. Charles Leclerc eventually managed to improve in the final minutes but still found himself four-tenths adrift of Russell's benchmark. Lewis Hamilton and the Mercedes squad are clearly comfortable with the new layout already, something Ferrari will need to address before qualifying rolls around.

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The Madrid circuit itself has been kind to the drivers so far. Despite earlier incidents involving Formula 3 and Formula 2 machinery hitting the concrete walls, all 22 F1 cars managed to stay out of trouble during their first taste of the new asphalt. Esteban Ocon reported over the radio that grip levels were better than anticipated, a positive sign for what could be a challenging weekend on an unfamiliar layout.

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Down the field, there's plenty to dissect heading into FP2. Alpine have looked a bit quiet compared to their recent Monza heroics, with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto both finishing outside the points, leaving them vulnerable in the midfield battle against Racing Bulls and Audi. Yuki Tsunoda's session ended early after just 16 laps due to power steering issues, while Fernando Alonso appears to be showing improved pace for Aston Martin. A few close calls between drivers kept things spicy, with Lewis Hamilton catching some attention for his wheel-to-wheel moments throughout the session.

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