George Russell believes Formula 1's first race at the Madring could swing one of two extreme ways, while Lewis Hamilton admits he does not know what exactly to expect, heading into Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix. The wall-lined circuit in Madrid has proved a big challenge for drivers so far on its inaugural weekend, while Friday's practice running showed up tyre degradation difficulties on long heavier-fuel runs. The grid's leading drivers are braced for those challenges to continue into a 57-lap race for which Mc Laren's Lando Norris starts on pole position ahead of Mercedes' championship-leading Kimi Antonelli.

Mercedes' Russell, who qualified sixth after a disappointing Q3, told Sky Sports F1: "I think tyre degradation will define it one way or another. There will either be no degradation and it will be a procession, or really high degradation and it will be pretty chaotic." Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who qualified fourth having initially held provisional pole after the first flying laps of Q3, is also expecting tyre management to play a central role.

And championship leader Antonelli, who was pipped to pole position by a sensational final lap by Norris, predicted: "Probably it's going to be grandmother driving in the first 10 laps, but let's see. We saw in the long run how steep the degradation can be, especially if you push too early. We will try to see in the moment."