Russell tops first practice for F1 Spanish GP as Madrid makes debut
· Yahoo Sports
George Russell led a Mercedes one-two ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the first practice for the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix on Friday at the new track in Madrid.
Russell clocked the fastest time of 1 minute 34.077 seconds, beating championship leader Antonelli by 0.286 seconds. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari was third, followed by team-mate Lewis Hamilton.
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Max Verstappen of Red Bull was fourth, while defending champion Lando Norris was sixth.
After coming from 19th to claim a sensational win on home soil at the Italian GP last weekend, Antonelli tops the drivers' standings 66 points ahead of Russell.
The new circuit in Madrid is making its debut on the F1 calendar and has been described as "crazy," "scary," and the season's "most complicated."
While the first F1 practice ran smoothly, there was a heavy crash during the Formula Two first practice earlier.
Thai driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak hit the barrier at Turn 19 as his car caught on fire, releasing a lot of smoke. He climbed out of the car and was initially unharmed.
The circuit in Madrid it's considered very challenging because of its fast turns, and there are also several sections where drivers can barely see what's ahead of them. Run-off areas are also scarce.