F1 Spanish GP: Follow FP1 in Madrid with live timing

Plenty of fans here curious to see the spectacle of the new venue.

Fascinating to see the lap times ramp down so quickly at the sharp end. Currently 8.2s between Lewis Hamilton in P1 and Esteban Ocon in P19.

We hope they've got plenty of spare American Express banners in a cupboard somewhere because those decals on the exit of Turn 8 are going to be torn asunder more than once this weekend, we reckon.

Well this track offers a peculiar vista in terms of TV spectacle. Not much of a sense of place, apart from some of the twistier and undulating elements of Sector 2.

Just Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto still in the pits now. Everybody else out on medium Pirellis (C3), apart from Gabriel Bortoleto who is on the hards (C2).

And, more to the point, where will the first red flag be generated? We'd be surprised if it's not Turns 5/6, the second chicane, a really technical area with aggressive kerbs. Drivers will be tempted to be greedy here because a high corner speed will give them a good run onto the uphill section that follows.

So, readers, shall we place out bets on how long until the first red flag? And who will smite the barrier first? Be creative, don't just say "Lance Stroll"...

Hola from Madrid!

And it's a red letter day for grand prix racing in Spain as the country welcomes a new grand prix venue to the calendar. F1 last visited this region in 1981, when Gilles Villeneuve claimed a memorable victory for Ferrari, 'parking the bus' in the ill-handling car to keep a host of faster cars behind.

And also likely to be a red flag day, given the challenge of this circuit. Want to know more?