No chaos in Madrid, but George Russell warns all the same: “Just wait and see!”

Even before the start of the race weekend on the outskirts of Madrid, the Formula 1 drivers were in agreement: the circuit at the IFEMA exhibition centre offers plenty of potential for an exciting qualifying session and race – and, with its many blind corners and slightly crooked braking zones, it is a real challenge.

It soon became clear in the first practice session that the Madring would put not only the drivers but also the tyres to the test. George Russell, who had predicted chaos and red flags on Media Thursday, explained: “We’d already anticipated that this was a possibility. After all, that’s often the case with newly resurfaced circuits.”

“The grip is very good, but you slide about quite aggressively,” described the Briton from the Mercedes team, adding in a joking tone: “If we experience the same tyre degradation in the race as we did in the first practice session, then a six-stop strategy is the quickest option.”

Russell, who was fastest in the first free practice session and finished the day fifth fastest, is certain: “It was a bit better in the second session, and I’m convinced there’ll be a further improvement in tyre wear during the race. But that remains the biggest question mark.”

When asked whether he had revised his gloomy forecast from Thursday in light of the relatively quiet start – there were only a few close calls with the barriers and one proper crash in the F1 sessions – the 28-year-old said: “This is undoubtedly a high-risk circuit and I think all the drivers have probably been a bit more cautious. Just wait and see what we’ll see tomorrow!”

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Live

Madrid: Das Rennen Re-Live

FIA Formula One World Championship

13.09.2026 - 17:30