Formula 1 drivers and team chiefs are hopeful there is scope at the Madring for organisers to make changes to the track to aid overtaking for future seasons. The new home of the Spanish Grand Prix held its inaugural event over the weekend around the semi-permanent, wall-lined Madring circuit While the 3.36-mile layout was praised for the challenge it posed on a fast qualifying lap, drivers had raised concerns ahead of the race about a likely lack of overtaking opportunities - something which largely played out in the race. Lando Norris, who claimed the inaugural pole position and would likely have won the Grand Prix too but for an untimely Virtual Safety Car, believes "there are some obvious changes they should make" to make it a "great race track" to go with the challenge it provided drivers in qualifying.
Offering a blunt assessment on some immediate revisions he would like to see, the McLaren driver said: "They should get rid of [Turns] 18, 19. Just have more of a straight into a hairpin. "Like, I don't know how someone looks at this design and goes, 'Mint'.
Yeah, I think there's a lot of opportunity. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player "Like I said yesterday, I think they can make it into a track that's good for racing, and I'm excited to come back here next year if they can make these changes because I think it's a track that is good fun to drive and it can be a great race track." Race winner Kimi Antonelli added: "I think there are some corners that need to be changed to create more overtaking opportunities because right now, yes, it's nice over one lap, but for sure in the race, you know, you're just stuck behind [other cars]." Williams' Carlos Sainz, one of two Spanish drivers on the grid and who is also an ambassador of the Grand Prix, wrote on X: "The track is great. There needs to be some work done to create better passing, but it's been a great race overall, especially for a first year." The inaugural race weekend at the Madring, which winds round Madrid's IFEMA exhibition centre and is located close to the Spanish capital's international airport, drew a sold-out crowd of 352,618.
Toto Wolff said he was impressed with the event as a whole and revealed organisers were already talking to the FIA, F1's governing body, about what could be improved regarding the track for next year. "I think for the first [event], it's probably one of the best, or maybe the best that I've seen so far," said the Mercedes team principal. "It's a temporary circuit.
They've built something that is challenging for the drivers - a mini Macau or a mini Monaco - and the location is good. Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle“I think they will make some tweaks for next year to create one or two more overtaking places."Everybody realises that and, perhaps, had there been more, they might have done it this year. I’m pretty sure this will evolve into a really nice event“There’s zones around the world that always create good overtaking and we should learn from that – the last part of Istanbul, Turn Six in Hockenheim, Silverstone.
It’s not just about a chicane into a long straight, it’s a combination of corners that you need.” "We are thinking about how much more we can do next year in terms of little events here, or presentations, because we have the space and that's very rare in Formula 1. "So I would say congratulations for a first. "And then it's the tricky bit, doing a track that is spectacular also for the drivers and then building it in a way that there is lots of overtaking.
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