Max Verstappen arrives at the new Madrid circuit after a podium in Monza, but admits that Red Bull Racing still does not know exactly what to expect from the Spanish Grand Prix of Formula 1 next weekend. For the Dutch driver, the car’s behavior on the new layout will only become clearer after the first free practice sessions.
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Verstappen highlighted that the team managed to extract the maximum performance at the Italian GP, but the situation will be different in Madrid. After working only on the simulator, the Dutchman considers the circuit more difficult to drive, especially because of the number of complicated corners.
“It’s hard to know how we will perform there. We trained on the simulator and it seems to be a more challenging track to drive, as is the case with most street circuits, mainly because there are many complicated corners,” he said.
Verstappen also pointed out grip as one of the main unknowns for Red Bull. Friday sessions will be important to assess the asphalt conditions and gather information before qualifying, while hoping the team can quickly adapt to a circuit new to everyone.
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Liam Lawson also sees the weekend as an opportunity to understand Red Bull’s true level in Madrid: “We have only driven on the track in the simulator so far, so the first free practice will tell us a lot about where we really are. It’s a unique circuit, and the banked corner should make things interesting,” he added.
The New Zealander arrives at the new challenge after a difficult weekend in Monza, marked from the start by an engine change. According to Lawson, this made it difficult to fully assess the car’s potential, but the pace improvement throughout the Italian stage brought confidence for the debut in Madrid.
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