Max Verstappen did not hold back his criticism of the Madring circuit, which hosts the Formula 1 Spanish GP this weekend. The four-time world champion highlighted how there are no overtaking opportunities.
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The Red Bull driver will start the race from third place on Sunday the 13th, behind pole-sitter Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli, who is second. There is concern that the race will be a procession on F1’s return to Madrid.
“I like the grip. They did a good job with the asphalt, although in some spots it is already a bit too uneven for a new track. In the corners, you can’t overtake. So, in some braking zones, they need to learn that you should never design the layout so that you have to steer the wheel while braking; combining the two does not allow any kind of overtaking,” he said.
“Certainly, in terms of layout, I think it can improve. I also believe that the drivers’ opinions about the track design in the future can help a lot. I know they will always say: ‘Yes, but there is the space issue.’ But that’s nonsense. There is always a way to find an overtaking opportunity on a circuit,” he continued.
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“Also, the speed with which they made the track available and the information shared for the simulator were very positive points. But if the goal is to have better races and overtakes, there are some corners that can be changed.”
Asked how he imagines the race from his grid position, he said it “will be difficult. Let’s say that, in the best-case scenario, you are faster but can’t overtake. There are no corners where you can pass, so you have to rely on the excessive tire wear of other competitors; that’s why it will be complicated.”
“Race simulations here have been tough, with a lot of tire wear for everyone, so that will probably be the deciding factor tomorrow; but even so, I still need to find a spot on the track where overtaking is possible,” he concluded.
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