F1 got its first taste of the Spanish Grand Prix's brand-new Madring on Friday, and early impressions suggest it's going to take guts to get right.

MADRID -- The opening day at the all-new Madring got off to an ominous start. Thirty minutes into the first Formula 2 practice session, Thai racer Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak lost control through high-speed Turn 18 and crashed hard. The session was suspended. Four further session-stopping crashes followed during F2 qualifying, cementing the belief that the Madring will earn its reputation as a "car killer."

"I would put it, arguably, as the most risky circuit of the whole calendar, because you have real high-speed corners, sort of Jeddah-esque, and the walls are very close," Mercedes driver George Russell said. "There's no margin for error."

F1's two Friday practice sessions got away with just one red flag -- when Arvid Lindblad crashed his Racing Bulls at Turn 13 -- but more seem likely before Sunday's 57-lap race. With spare parts limited by the cost cap, drivers were reminded to build confidence before qualifying.