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Max Verstappen ends first practice day in Madrid in sixth and fifth place

Max Verstappen recorded the fifth and sixth fastest times during the first and second practice sessions for the Madrid Grand Prix, with Kimi Antonelli setting the pace.

12 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Max Verstappen ends first practice day in Madrid in sixth and fifth place — Photo: Liauzh · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The first practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madrid circuit, the Madring, took place on Friday. Max Verstappen, driver for Red Bull, finished this session in fifth place. It was George Russell from Mercedes who clocked the fastest time, followed by Kimi Antonelli. This practice marks the first time the Formula 1 circus has run on this new circuit.

In the second practice session, also on Friday, Verstappen achieved the sixth fastest time. Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes was again the quickest driver in this session. It was a challenging practice where drivers had to be attentive to the hazardous corners of the new circuit.

Verstappen was 0.4 seconds behind Antonelli, who was a total of 0.1 seconds quicker than his teammate Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from Ferrari. The competitive atmosphere on the track pushed the drivers to do their utmost to find the right lines.

During the third practice session on Saturday, marked by several incidents, Verstappen again finished in fifth place. The session faced interruption due to a crash involving Lewis Hamilton, which significantly slowed down the pace of the practice.

Hamilton caused a delayed start to the practice with his slide, and Oliver Bearman crashed hard, contributing to the chaos on the track. Despite these setbacks, the practice session continued without major issues, and the drivers felt the pressure to improve their speed.

With qualifying on the horizon, it is crucial for the drivers to adapt to the unique challenges of the Madring. While Antonelli remains the favorite, Verstappen will strive to secure a good position for the race.

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