Gunther Steiner managed to point out something positive from the Spanish GP and Madring, seeing Formula 1’s efforts to bring races closer to major cities to make them more accessible.
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The debut of the circuit in Madrid took place under a series of criticisms from both drivers and people involved in the sport. With no position battles on the 4.5km and 22-turn layout, the race had only four overtakes, with changes already planned for 2027.
The inclusion of the Spanish capital on the calendar is an effort by F1 to make the category more accessible by being close to major cities, and the former Haas boss sees the move positively, citing Hungaroring in Hungary as an example.
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“I’m not trying to defend Madrid regarding what happened on the track. But I think if you compare these races with Spa… people won’t like Spa, because you want a cool race, but you also want the race itself to be good. Because otherwise, yes, you will watch the race, but you can’t find a restaurant at night. Guess why? Because there isn’t any,” he said.
“And it’s not a good idea to hold a global event in places [with limited infrastructure]. The paddock looks like something from 40 years ago. It’s the same in Barcelona. Guys, you need to invest money; it’s possible to profit from this racetrack, just renovate it. Hungary did a great job. They realized the circuit was 30 or 40 years old and that they needed to do something about it. They did it, renovated the place, and will keep the race forever, because Hungary is a good place, close to Budapest, and that’s it. So, there are possibilities,” he added.
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