The FIA has set an important limitation for the Formula 1 debut at Madring, the new circuit that will host the Spanish GP this coming weekend. The entity authorized the use of active aerodynamics in only two zones of the track.
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The first activation area will be on the main straight, between the start and the finish, while the second will be located just after turn 3. Thus, the use of low drag mode will be completely prohibited during sectors 2 and 3 of the lap.
According to the 2026 technical regulations, drivers use active aerodynamics in low drag mode to reduce drag on straights, and return to conventional levels of aerodynamic load before heavy braking and corners. The FIA’s decision will make competitors run the entire second sector with the car in higher downforce configuration, including turn 12, La Monumental, a 500-meter section with a 13.5-degree incline.
This decision was made after a Formula 3 test, marked by several incidents and accidents on the new street circuit. Nineteen red flags were recorded, eleven of them caused by heavy crashes with the protective barriers.
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Andrea Stella, McLaren’s chief, highlighted the difficulty imposed by the proximity of the barriers: “It is a circuit very different from any other. With these walls, it can be similar to Jeddah, but there are many more corners and many more high-speed chicanes,” he said.
Ferrari is the only team that has already completed laps at Madring, during a filming activity with the SF-26 in July. Even so, the Scuderia boss, Fred Vasseur, rejected the idea that this represents a significant advantage: “The circuit was very green when we went there. I think it will be challenging for everyone, maybe a bit difficult to overtake,” concluded the French manager.
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