Madrid delivered a demanding circuit, but almost nowhere to overtake.
MADRID, SPAIN
Formula One drivers have called for modifications to the Madring circuit after its inaugural Spanish Grand Prix produced little genuine overtaking. Although the 5.4-kilometre layout offered a demanding qualifying challenge, its narrow approaches, curved braking zones and limited alternative racing lines made passing exceptionally difficult.
Lando Norris was among the most critical voices, arguing that Turns 18 and 19 serve little competitive purpose. The McLaren driver proposed removing them to create a longer straight followed by a stronger braking opportunity. He nevertheless acknowledged that Madring has potential if organizers correct the sections that interrupt the flow of racing.
Oliver Bearman focused on the approach to the Turn 5–6 chicane. Its curved braking zone and narrow entrance prevent drivers from positioning their cars alongside one another, allowing the car ahead to defend without taking unusual risks. Charles Leclerc offered a more measured assessment, suggesting that one or two limited alterations could substantially improve overtaking without sacrificing the circuit’s technical character.
Carlos Sainz praised Madrid for delivering one of Formula One’s most ambitious new events but agreed that the track needs a recognizable passing point. He intends to discuss possible revisions with the FIA and cited Baku and Macau as examples of street circuits where a long straight leading into a wide, slow corner creates a natural opportunity for competition. Turns 1, 5 and 13 are among the areas he believes deserve examination.
Organizers are already considering changes for the 2027 edition. Proposals include widening and reshaping the entrance to the Turn 5–6 complex, modifying barriers at narrow points and adjusting other sections to permit multiple racing lines. Any revision will require simulations, safety assessments and FIA homologation, particularly because tunnels and limited runoff areas restrict what can be changed.
Madring’s debut demonstrated the difference between a circuit that tests individual speed and one that produces an engaging race. The banking, walls and technical sequences rewarded precision over a single lap, yet Sunday’s competition depended more heavily on strategy and a late Virtual Safety Car than on direct battles. With a contract extending through 2035, Madrid has time to refine the design. Its first lesson is already clear: visual ambition and technical difficulty cannot substitute for places where drivers can actually compete.
A circuit becomes memorable when difficulty creates opportunity.