Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring: track – hit or miss?

To put on a top-class event from scratch – that was the aim of the organisers of the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring exhibition centre circuit. But did the Madrileños succeed?

It was the first time since 1981 that a Formula 1 World Championship race had been held in Madrid. That said, the Jarama circuit used back then is 30 km from the city centre. A return to that permanent circuit was never on the cards – the track is too narrow, too short and rather dull.

A Grand Prix that allows fans to enjoy themselves in the vibrant cosmopolitan city of Madrid, whilst easily reaching the circuit at the IFEMA exhibition centre (for example, by metro), is much more in keeping with the spirit of Formula 1 today.

Three striking impressions remain: Firstly, the people of Madrid have managed to organise an exceptionally well-run racing event right from the off – hats off to them!

Secondly, the Madrid circuit is a demanding, tricky track, and as is well known, Formula 1 drivers tend to prefer the more challenging a circuit is. So, as far as a single lap is concerned, everything was fine.

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Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring: track – hit or miss?

The people of Madrid had set their sights high for their city’s first Formula 1 World Championship race since 1981. But have the high expectations for the new Madring mixed-circuit track really been met?

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Unfortunately – thirdly – they failed to bear in mind that good motorsport thrives on drivers overtaking one another. The Madring is tricky, but its layout does not encourage position changes.

Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen points out: “With corners in this sequence, it’s very difficult to overtake an opponent. One fundamental mistake, for example, is the braking zones where we’re already turning in. The drivers have their hands full just dealing with that, which leads to locked-up wheels but not good racing.’

“So as far as the track design is concerned, it could perhaps have been done better. I also think a little more input from us drivers could have helped quite a bit there. I know that many organisers would now point the finger and say – yes, but we only have limited space. But I say: claiming that is simply rubbish. In virtually every track layout, there’s a way to create better overtaking opportunities.”

“Let’s not get the wrong end of the stick here: the whole Madrid event is really cool. A good job has been done here. The teams also received good information early on so they could feed the simulators with data. But if we want to put on a more exciting show at the Madring, then we need to make some changes here. There’s a whole series of corners where this could be improved.”

Ultimately, the Madring debut leaves a rather bland aftertaste: The city is highly recommended to everyone (even without Formula 1), the organisation was well thought out, visitors were given a warm welcome (unfortunately not a given), and fans and VIPs clearly enjoyed the weekend – but the Madring must allow for better racing if this Grand Prix is to be a complete success.