The Madring hosted its first Spanish Grand Prix, and Kimi Antonelli emerged victorious. Yet the event raised a troubling query: how did the organizers manage to construct a circuit so poorly?
Drivers took issue with the layout of the new circuit, which was constructed partly as a fresh track and partly using roads already in place around the Ifema exhibition centre near Madrid’s Barajas international airport. That dissatisfaction came to define a weekend during which overtaking barely happened at all. A virtual safety car intervention also deprived Lando Norris of what could have been a win.
Antonelli Wins as Norris Loses Out Under Virtual Safety Car
Antonelli stretched her lead in the drivers’ standings with victory at the Madring. Max Verstappen finished second in the Red Bull, and McLaren’s Lando Norris completed the top three.
The virtual safety car came into play while Norris was leading the race, and he had already passed the pit entry just ahead of it being deployed. That timing meant he was unable to pit during the safety car window.
Drivers Predicted Overtaking Would Be Impossible
Before a single car took the track, the drivers were already warning that overtaking would be nearly impossible at the new Madring. Their predictions came true.
This course was built anew, part of it laid down as a fresh track, part of it running along roads already in existence around the Ifema exhibition centre near Madrid’s Barajas international airport.
Andrew Benson, a BBC F1 correspondent, addressed the question head-on. He pointed out that the issues could have been anticipated by anyone familiar with the workings of F1.
Norris Calls the Design Ridiculous
Lando Norris was blunt about it after the race. “I don’t know how someone looks at this design and goes: ‘Mint,'” he said.
Norris recommended getting rid of turns 18, 19, and “making a straight line from 17 to 20, have a much wider entry like Austin Turn One or Turn 10 in Austin… big hairpin.”.
“That, he said, would ‘create much better opportunities for everyone and you’ll be able to enjoy the race’,” the report quotes him.
Among his proposals was a request to change what he referred to as “some trickier changes,” including the unpopular, clumsy chicane at Turn Five, along with the stretch from there to Turn Seven.
The Specific Problems With the Track
The biggest problem is the absence of a long straight before the large braking zone. This setup makes passing almost impossible.
The corners present their own difficulties. Drivers frequently enter them with both braking and turning required at the same time, a combination that further complicates any attempt to pass. Some of these corners also feature walls that return toward the track as drivers leave the bend.
A lengthy pit lane is also an issue here, since it is the longest on the schedule. A longer pit lane means more time lost during a pit stop, which cuts down on the odds of running a two-stop strategy.
When tyres wear down quickly, drivers need to manage them carefully, stay well below the limit, and accept a reduced chance of incidents, which in turn reduces the likelihood of safety cars appearing on track.
Norris Wants the Changes Made
It would not take much effort to fix the situation, and the solution is plainly visible. Norris has made his desire clear: he wants to return, provided the necessary adjustments are made.
“To me, it’s not a great race track. It’s great in qualifying,” he said.
He believes the track can be repaired, “They can make it into a track that’s good for racing, and I’m excited to come back here next year if they can make these changes because I think it’s a track that is good fun to drive and it can be a great race track,” he said.
The VSC Incident Was Unique
The safety car did indeed add a measure of jeopardy to the race, but it fails to perform virtually the function of the real safety car.
Kyle questioned whether a minimum of at least one full lap would not make things fairer. He said what happened to Norris seemed like a chance card in Monopoly.
For years, the VSC has carried problems with it. Rather than resetting a race, it simply stops it, which can feel a little dull next to a real safety car. Yet it does offer one clear advantage: it keeps disturbance to a minimum when a hazard on the track can be cleared without much delay.
Someone has always stood to gain an advantage over a rival by taking advantage of the fact that a pit stop during a VSC lasts considerably less time than it does when cars are actually racing.
This has most often happened when a team deliberately alters or puts into action a strategy aimed at waiting for a safety car or virtual safety car to come along. Norris himself got the benefit of such a plan during his first win in Miami in 2024.
The situation involving Norris stands apart. A driver forfeited a race victory because his particular track position during a VSC prevented him from being able to stop under it, unlike any other competitor.
Sunday’s best recollection holds that particular arrangement to be without precedent.
The Pit Lane Problem Runs Deeper
The many large exhibition halls on the site – it’s a bit like holding a grand prix at the NEC in Birmingham – clearly don’t make this the easiest task.
Another step in the right direction would be locating a pit lane that isn’t cut in two by a building, so that the pits and paddock could sit side by side and be placed entirely outside.
What Happens Next Is Unclear
It has yet to be determined whether Norris’s bad luck will bring about any alteration, such as making sure a Virtual Safety Car is put into use for at least one complete lap.
There is no easy answer, because within F1 it’s recognised that safety cars are part of the competitive jigsaw, and can be used to a team’s advantage.
These rules came from a series of earlier attempts, each one operating according to its own distinct approach.
| Track Feature | Problem |
|---|---|
| Long straight | None leading into a big braking zone |
| Corners | Entries require combining braking and turning |
| Walls | Come back towards the track on corner exit |
| Pit lane | Ultra-long, longest on the calendar |
The drivers have spoken. The changes they want are clear.
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