Formula 1 is getting closer to debuting Madring, the new circuit for the Spanish GP, and Carlos Sainz has already had his first experience on the track. The Williams driver drove the track for the first time and was impressed by the speed of the circuit, especially in the fast corner sectors.
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The new F1 venue in Madrid is scheduled to debut in September, while construction continues at a fast pace to meet the deadlines set by the FIA. The circuit, located near Barajas airport and the IFEMA complex, will host the Spanish GP under an agreement valid from 2026 to 2035.
Sainz completed the first lap on the 5.4 km, 22-corner layout using a 450-horsepower Ford Mustang GT. Even without driving a Formula 1 car, the Spaniard was able to get a clear sense of the track’s behavior and believes it will be faster than it appears at first glance.
According to the Williams driver, the high-speed corners in the second sector will be one of the circuit’s main highlights: “It’s faster than it looks,” said Sainz, especially highlighting the sequence starting from corner 9, where the track leaves the public streets and enters the permanent circuit area.
The Spaniard also pointed out important overtaking spots. Right at the chicane of corners 1 and 2, he identified a clear attacking opportunity, while the straight following up to the chicane of corners 5 and 6 should make battery management a decisive factor. Sainz described this aspect as ‘very strategic’ for the races.
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One of the sections that caught the driver’s attention the most was corner 12, named ‘La Monumental’. The section has a 24% incline and a shape similar to a bullfighting stadium. According to Sainz, the corner will have to be taken almost flat out: “We will enter full throttle, maybe lifting a bit in the middle to make the front end point better,” he explained.
The Spanish driver also expressed surprise at the corner’s characteristic: “That was what impressed me the most. I thought La Monumental would only have the incline, but besides that it is also blind. You have created a real cocktail,” he concluded.
After exiting the inclined corner, Sainz believes corner 13 could also provide overtaking opportunities before the fast sequence of corners in Valdebebas. The section reminded the Spaniard of traditional Formula 1 circuits like Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone. In the final part of the lap, a tight 117-degree corner near the outer wall could surprise drivers before the main straight.
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