The debut of the new Madrid circuit places Red Bull before an unknown that not even Max Verstappen can answer before hitting the track: what will be the real performance of the RB22? After securing third place in Monza, the four-time world champion knows that the result in Italy does not guarantee success for the Spanish GP weekend.
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Madrid will be new for practically the entire Formula 1 grid. The exception is Ferrari, which has already done tests. Verstappen has only experienced the layout through the simulator. Therefore, the first free practice will carry even more weight in Red Bull’s preparation: “It was a great result for us in Monza and we really maximized our performance there to secure a podium,” reflects Verstappen. “Looking at Madrid, it is hard to predict how we will perform there. We trained on the simulator and it seems to be a more challenging track to drive, as is the case with most street circuits, especially because there are so many tricky corners.”
The team will need to make the most of every lap to understand the level of grip and find the best setup for the rest of the weekend. Verstappen hopes the first sessions will allow gathering as much information as possible before qualifying. “We will also have to assess how much grip there is on Friday and build from there. The practices will be important to learn as much as possible before qualifying starts,” Verstappen continues.
While acknowledging the difficulty of predicting the scenario, the driver sees the circuit’s unfamiliarity as a possible advantage. Since everyone will have to start practically from scratch, Red Bull hopes to quickly find a good path. “That said, it is a new circuit for everyone and we hope to start off on the right foot and make a strong start.”
Liam Lawson will also have to discover in practice how Red Bull will behave on the new layout. The 24-year-old New Zealander will again form a duo with Verstappen, as Isack Hadjar is still not fit to return to the wheel. For him, the simulator helps in preparation but is not enough to reveal what will really happen when the car is on the track.
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“Madrid will be an interesting weekend for everyone. So far, we have only driven the track on the simulator, so the first free practice will tell us a lot about where we really stand,” says Lawson. “It is a unique circuit and the banked corner should make things interesting.”
The New Zealander’s confidence also comes from what he managed to do after a difficult start in Monza. The engine change put him at a disadvantage from the beginning of the weekend and made a full assessment of his potential difficult.
“Monza was a tough weekend from the start because the engine change already put us at a disadvantage. That made it difficult to fully show what we were capable of,” explains Lawson. “The positive side is that we found a good pace throughout the weekend. That gives us confidence to face Madrid.”
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