Spanish Grand Prix LIVE: Latest updates as first practice gets under way at the 'crazy' Madring

The first practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix is due to get under way as drivers will get a feel for the Madring for the first time, and you can follow live updates here on ESPN.

Drivers across the grid have predicted that the brand-new circuit is the "most risky" on the Formula 1 calendar.

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The Madring is a hybrid between a street circuit and a purpose-built track, using a mixture of public roads and private land around the IFEMA Madrid exhibition centre.

The circuit is 5.416km long and features 22 corners. Sunday's race will take place over 57 laps.

Formula 1 is returning to Madrid for the first time since 1981, when the Spanish Grand Prix was held at Jarama, around 30 kilometres north of the city.

Mercedes' George Russell said ahead of the weekend: "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. The walls are very close. There's no margin for error.

"But then, you have other corners that are quite like Baku, where you're coming from a high speed into a slow braking zone. You're braking and turning at the same time.

"So, locking tyres is going to be easy. If you're not coping, you'll be straight in the wall.

"I think it's going to be really challenging for us as drivers. The race is going to be challenging to overtake. So, on the whole, it's not an easy one."

Alpine's Pierre Gasly added: "I must say it's exciting, but at the same time I think it's going to be quite a disruptive weekend, how easy it will be to have a crash."