A deep dive into the history of the Spanish Grand Prix as Madrid prepares to host its first Formula 1 race in 45 years

The Spanish Grand Prix at the all-new Madring street circuit kicked off the weekend of Formula 1 action in Madrid. The circuit, known for its brutal and unforgiving nature, features a signature 550-meter sweeping corner called La Monumental, which can host up to 45,000 fans. Drivers had their first chance to experience the track on Friday during practice sessions.

Mercedes emerged strong in the first two hours of practice, with George Russell leading FP1 and teammate Kimi Antonelli claiming the top spot in FP2. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finished ahead of the Mercedes duo, with Leclerc winning FP1 and Hamilton securing the fourth position in FP2. The Ferrari drivers' positions swapped places in the second practice session, with Leclerc jumping to second and Hamilton moving up to third.

Rookie Arvid Lindblad, who faced an accident during FP1, secured the seventh position in the practice session. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris rounded out the top ten, with Norris missing most of FP2 due to a gearbox issue. Qualifying began at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, with updates streamed live on SB Nation, and the provisional starting grid finalized throughout the qualifying hour.