Antonelli leads Spanish GP practice as Madring makes its F1 debut

MADRID, Sept 11 - George Russell led championship leader Kimi Antonelli in a Mercedes one-two after the first Formula One free practice session held at Madrid's new Spanish Grand Prix circuit on Friday.

Russell's best lap of one minute and 34.077 seconds around the Madring, an undulating ribbon of asphalt around the IFEMA exhibition centre near the capital's Barajas airport, was 0.286 quicker than 20-year-old Antonelli's fastest effort on the soft tyres.

Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton -- the former crashing heavily at Monza last Sunday -- were third and fourth respectively, 0.459 and 0.543 off the pace on a bright and sunny afternoon, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren's reigning champion Lando Norris fifth and sixth.

Racing Bulls' rookie Arvid Lindblad was seventh quickest with McLaren's Oscar Piastri eighth, after the Australian had complained that his legs were making contact with something in the cockpit, and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg ninth.

New Zealander Liam Lawson, standing in for injured French driver Isack Hadjar for the third race in a row, completed the top 10 for Red Bull.

After a fiery crash halted the earlier F2 practice, the Formula One session took place without interruptions or major incident.

Home hero Fernando Alonso brushed the wall in his Aston Martin, while Spain's other driver Carlos Sainz was 17th for Williams in his home city, and there were complaints from several drivers over the radio about others getting in the way.

"That's just nasty," exclaimed Hulkenberg after Hamilton failed to let the German through at the final corner.

Lindblad also called out Hamilton and Antonelli as "stupid" after accusing them of obstruction at the circuit's signature 'La Monumental' banked turn 12. REUTERS