Ollie Bearman criticises the Madring layout: “You don’t have to be a genius!”

The GP stars were already aware, even before the start of the race weekend, that the new GP circuit on the outskirts of the Spanish capital, Madrid, does not offer many overtaking opportunities. The demanding street circuit at the IFEMA exhibition centre does, however, present a welcome challenge in qualifying when it comes to setting a fast lap. In the race, however, the new GP circuit caused frustration because it offers hardly any opportunities to overtake.

This was criticised after the Spanish Grand Prix not only by top drivers such as world champion Lando Norris and Red Bull Racing star Max Verstappen. Ollie Bearman, who is part of the Ferrari driver line-up, also remarked: “You only have to look at the layout and it’s clear that it’s a poor track for a race.” He was referring to the nature of the corners, which offer a chasing driver virtually no chance of overtaking the car in front.

“We’ve already spoken to the FIA about this on Friday,” revealed the Briton. “We said that we need to make the circuit a bit more interesting for us drivers, because whilst it’s a great track for a fast qualifying lap, it really isn’t suitable for the race,” he added with his usual candour.

There is potential for improvement

Still, Bearman is certain that there is room for improvement. “When you arrive and see a track like this, as a driver you do find yourself asking: ‘What exactly do you expect of us?’ It’s a real shame, especially as there are actually a few sections here that could have been designed differently. It’s not a circuit like Baku or Singapore, where it’s difficult to find a different layout because there are simply buildings lining the track. But here, between turns five and 17, you actually have a free hand. And that potential hasn’t been exploited.”

The 21-year-old also emphasised: “I don’t think it necessarily requires input from us drivers – you don’t have to be a genius to create a layout that offers overtaking opportunities. As I said, they managed it even in Baku, and there you’re much more restricted in terms of the track layout. That’s why it was a bit of a disappointment. I hope we can make it a bit more interesting for next year.”

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