Madrid FP1: Mercedes on Top as McLaren Have Work to Do

Formula 1 has officially hit the track in Madrid! FP1 at Madring is complete, and for the first time we've been able to see the drivers properly attacking this brand-new circuit. After all the predictions and questions heading into the weekend, we finally have some actual track action to talk about. Mercedes have started strongly, Ferrari are right in the mix, Max Verstappen is lurking — and McLaren might have some work to do. Here's my reaction to FP1 from On the Pitwall. 

Mercedes Start With a 1–2

The biggest story from FP1 has to be Mercedes. George Russell finished fastest with a 1:34.077, while Kimi Antonelli made it a Mercedes 1–2, finishing just under three tenths behind his teammate. That's a seriously strong way to begin the Madrid weekend. I already had Mercedes as one of my favourites coming into this race, and after FP1, I'm feeling even more confident about them. Of course, it's only Friday practice. We don't know the fuel loads, engine modes or exactly what programmes each team was running. On top of that, everybody is still learning a completely new circuit but seeing Russell and Antonelli sitting P1 and P2 is definitely something to keep an eye on.

Ferrari Are Right Behind

Ferrari weren't far away either. Charles Leclerc finished P3, while Lewis Hamilton took P4. That gives us two Mercedes followed immediately by two Ferraris at the top of the timing screens. Could we be heading towards a Mercedes vs Ferrari battle for pole? There's still a long way to go, but Ferrari's opening pace certainly looks promising.

 Never Rule Out Max

Max Verstappen finished FP1 in P5. He wasn't right on Russell's pace, but this is Max Verstappen we're talking about. I'm definitely not ruling him out after one practice session. If Red Bull can find more performance as they understand Madring and Max becomes more comfortable with the circuit, he could still be a major player when qualifying arrives. Then we get to the two drivers I'm particularly interested in…

What Happened to Lando and Oscar?

It wasn't the strongest opening session for McLaren. Lando Norris finished P6, while Oscar Piastri finished P8. Am I panicking? No. Not yet Lando was around eight tenths away from Russell, with Oscar just over a second off the fastest time. Obviously, that's not the dream opening where the McLarens immediately come out and challenge for P1 but this is what practice is for. McLaren now have a huge amount of information to analyse. They can look at the setup, tyres, downforce levels, long-run performance and where Lando and Oscar are gaining or losing time. I'm definitely not writing them off after FP1. However, there is one thing I want to see next: That gap needs to come down in FP2. If Lando and Oscar start getting closer to Mercedes and Ferrari, I'll feel much more confident about McLaren's chances in qualifying.

Arvid Lindblad Impresses

One of my surprise performances from the session came from Arvid Lindblad. He finished P7, actually splitting Norris and Piastri! That's an impressive start to the weekend. Lindblad finished less than a second away from Russell's fastest lap and ahead of one of the McLarens. Definitely one to watch as the weekend develops.

Madrid FP1 Top 10

Here's how the top ten finished:

P1 — George Russell
P2 — Kimi Antonelli
P3 — Charles Leclerc
P4 — Lewis Hamilton
P5 — Max Verstappen
P6 — Lando Norris 🧡
P7 — Arvid Lindblad
P8 — Oscar Piastri 🧡
P9 — Nico Hülkenberg
P10 — Liam Lawson

There are definitely a few results in there that I wasn't expecting!

Tough Start for the Spanish Drivers

It wasn't the opening session the home fans would've been hoping for. Fernando Alonso finished P15, while Carlos Sainz was down in P17. Sainz did complete plenty of running, though, so Williams will have gathered a lot of useful information about the new circuit. There's still plenty of time for both Spanish drivers to find performance before qualifying. With the Madrid crowd behind them, I'd love to see Alonso and Sainz move further up the order.

Down at the Bottom

Further down the field, Lance Stroll finished P19 with Alex Albon P20. The two Cadillacs then occupied the final two positions, with Sergio Perez in P21 and Valtteri Bottas P22. Those are some big gaps to the front, but once again, this was the first practice session at a brand-new circuit. There's plenty of time for things to change.

Has FP1 Changed My Predictions?

This is the big question.Not completely. Mercedes going P1 and P2 definitely gives me even more confidence that they'll be fighting right at the front this weekend. McLaren are more difficult to judge. Lando P6 and Oscar P8 isn't a disaster, but I definitely need to see more from them in FP2. If they're still six, seven or eight tenths away from the fastest cars after more running, then I might have to reconsider some of my qualifying predictions. For now, though…I'm keeping the faith in the Papaya boys. 

On the Pitwall Verdict

After the first practice session in Madrid, there are already plenty of talking points. Mercedes look seriously quick. Ferrari appear competitive. Max Verstappen is waiting in the background. Arvid Lindblad produced one of the surprise performances of the session. And McLaren? They've got some work to do but we're only one practice session into a completely new race weekend. There's plenty more to come. FP2 should give us an even better idea of where everybody stands — and I'll be watching closely to see whether Lando and Oscar can close that gap to the front. So, after FP1, who are you predicting for pole position? And do you think McLaren can turn things around before qualifying? Let me know your predictions!

On the Pitwall

Lights out. More to talk about.