The first Grand Prix held on the Madring could be particularly eventful. After discovering the track on a simulator, Pierre Gasly expects accidents and is already betting on the appearance of a red flag.
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Pierre Gasly does not expect a quiet weekend for Formula 1’s debut in Madrid. The new Madring is hosting the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time, and its mix of fast corners, narrow sections, and very close walls should put the drivers to a tough test.
However, the Frenchman arrives confident after securing a spectacular pole position at Monza last weekend. But after discovering Madrid on the simulator, he believes mistakes will be almost inevitable. In his view, the probability of seeing at least one session interrupted by a red flag is particularly high.
Gasly is ready to bet on a red flag
The first runs organized on the Madring have already given a glimpse of the challenge awaiting Formula 1. During a recent Formula 3 test, no fewer than 19 red flags were deployed in just two days, including eleven directly caused by crashes into the walls.
These numbers are obviously not reassuring before the arrival of even faster single-seaters. Gasly does not expect the entire field to get through the weekend without trouble.
“I would bet on the appearance of a red flag, that’s for sure. On the simulator, the circuit was really enjoyable and very exciting to drive.”
The Alpine driver also took advantage of his virtual sessions to precisely discover the track limits, even testing the resistance of its barriers directly.
“I got a pretty good idea of almost all the walls in every corner, so I now know what to do… and especially what not to do.”
A particularly difficult circuit to master
Beyond the proximity of the walls, Gasly identifies several elements likely to complicate the drivers’ task. The evolution of grip should be especially significant since the surface is still new and will gradually wear as the cars accumulate laps.
The braking zones will not make the job any easier. Some are not perfectly straight, while several sequences will require constantly changing the racing line of the car.
“It’s going to be very difficult, especially because of the track evolution, which should be significant. There are also some quite particular braking zones, which are not completely straight, as well as very winding corners.”
Gasly also highlights the variety of difficulties present in a single lap.
“There are a lot of corners, many blind sections, camber, uphill and downhill, with changes in elevation almost everywhere.”
An opportunity for drivers to make a difference
This complexity does not displease the Frenchman. On a completely new track, a driver’s ability to quickly find their marks and progressively push the limits could be more important than on a circuit perfectly known to all.
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“So I expect a really tricky and demanding circuit for us. But that’s also what makes it interesting, because driving can make more of a difference.”
The first free practice sessions will be essential. Drivers will have to discover the true levels of grip, identify the zones where they can attack the curbs, and determine how close they can get to the walls without compromising their weekend.
This learning phase could naturally cause several mistakes, especially since lap times should quickly drop as drivers gain confidence.
Gasly compares Madrid to Monaco
To summarize the level of risk, Gasly makes a comparison with Monaco. In the streets of the Principality, a few centimeters are often enough to turn a small trajectory error into contact with the wall and the end of the session.
“It’s a type of circuit that resembles Monaco in this respect: if you make a small mistake, the consequences can immediately be significant.”
Madrid should nevertheless offer significantly higher speeds in several sectors. Max Verstappen himself compared some sections to Jeddah and predicted possible major accidents during the weekend.
Gasly therefore shares the idea that the spectacle could be particularly eventful.
“It’s exciting. But at the same time, I think the weekend is likely to be quite disrupted because it seems so easy to have an accident.”
A first Grand Prix under high tension
Between the 19 red flags observed in Formula 3, Verstappen’s warnings, and Gasly’s forecasts, the Madring’s debut promises to be particularly tricky. The narrowness of the track and the proximity of the barriers should immediately punish the slightest mistake.
The challenge will be all the greater since no one yet has real race experience on this circuit. Simulations help prepare the weekend, but drivers will have to wait for the first laps to truly discover the surface’s peculiarities and the track limits.
For Gasly, the scenario is therefore almost written in advance: Madrid should see at least one red flag. After virtually testing almost all the walls of the Madring himself, the Frenchman warns that the slightest mistake could be very costly and cause a particularly chaotic weekend.
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