The new Madrid circuit will make its debut in Formula 1 this coming weekend, surrounded by a worrying reputation even before the Spanish GP debut. The Madring was nicknamed the ‘car destroyer’, after a Formula 3 test event marked by nineteen red flags.
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The street track will host its first F1 race this weekend, with drivers preparing for a layout considered extremely demanding. During the two-day F3 test held at the end of August, nineteen incidents and accidents were recorded, causing red flags, as well as three broken chassis and three broken suspensions, according to James Vowles, Williams’ chief.
“Okay, they are Formula 3 drivers, but it’s a track that destroys cars,” Vowles told the Spanish press, in a statement to Sport. The comment sums up the concern generated by the new circuit, even before the F1 cars officially take action.
Carlos Sainz, who was the first F1 driver to experience the Madring in a road car in May, also highlighted the difficulty of the layout after doing simulator work: “It’s a very challenging track. It’s one of the hardest tracks I’ve ever done in a simulator, and for the drivers, it will be tough,” said the Spaniard.
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Sainz compared the circuit’s characteristics to those of Jeddah, Baku, and to a lesser extent, Singapore, highlighting the high level of demand. He also drew attention to La Monumental, a section inclined at 24%, which will have one of the most unique corners on the layout: “With all that incline and all that car control there, it will be a big challenge,” he added.
Gabriel Bortoleto also classified the track as ‘dangerous’, although he highlighted the challenge of racing on a new circuit. Sergio Perez, on the other hand, downplayed the concern and said he does not expect Madrid to be ‘more dangerous than Jeddah’.
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