FIA opens double investigation after Spanish GP FP1 at Madring

Racing Bulls' Arvid Lindblad and Williams' Alex Albon have both been called to see the FIA stewards after first practice at the Spanish Grand Prix, with the pair under investigation for potentially rejoining the track unsafely at Turn 6.

The opening session at the new Madring street circuit delivered plenty of talking points, but the double investigation is the immediate focus. Both drivers now face a possible penalty as the stewards review their actions during the hour-long session.

Why it matters:

Madring is a brand-new, high-commitment street circuit, and driver safety is under extra scrutiny. Any precedent set here — especially around track limits and rejoining procedures — could shape how the weekend and future races at this venue are policed. With drivers already comparing the layout to Jeddah, the margin for error is thin.

The details:

• Lindblad and Albon were both summoned for allegedly rejoining the track unsafely at Turn 6 during FP1.
• The session itself passed without a major crash, with only a brief yellow flag interrupting running.
• Drivers had spent the build-up warning about the track's demanding nature. Max Verstappen likened Madring to Jeddah, saying a tiny moment can result in a crash. Fernando Alonso made a similar comparison.
• Sergio Perez called it a "proper race-track" and "a bit scary."
• Alex Albon explained the challenge of blind corners: "You're kind of swinging in from a blind spot and you've got to try and pick an imaginary spot that's a few hundred meters in front of you."

Lindblad's session was also notable for a heated team radio message aimed at Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli. He was forced to thread his way between the Ferrari and Mercedes cars through the banked Turn 12, 'La Monumental', and was left unhappy.

"These same two guys, man! I don't know what they're doing. They're just stupid, right in the fast corner!" Lindblad said. He added: "It's actually very dangerous. It's been twice now."

What's next:

The stewards will decide whether Lindblad or Albon breached unsafe rejoining rules. Given the track's unforgiving nature, any penalty could have an immediate impact on their weekends. More importantly, the outcome will set the tone for how seriously driver conduct is policed at the Madring.