Even before the first Formula 1 Grand Prix in Madrid, the Madring has built a reputation as a particularly ruthless circuit. Several corners could cause major accidents this weekend.
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Formula 1 is about to discover one of the most formidable circuits on its calendar. The Spanish Grand Prix is settling in Madrid for the first time, and the Madring has already issued a serious warning during the initial runs on its track.
A Formula 3 test held last month was notably marked by eleven red flags directly caused by contacts with the barriers. Several Formula 1 drivers have since highlighted the difficulty of the circuit, while James Vowles, director of Williams, went as far as to call it a true “car killer”.
Some spots appear particularly dangerous. From corners 5 and 6 to the spectacular La Monumental curve, these are the areas where the slightest mistake could be very costly.
Corners 5 and 6: the main trap of the Madring
If one had to designate a single area as the most likely to cause accidents, the chicane formed by corners 5 and 6 would be far ahead. It is precisely at this spot that many incidents occurred during the Formula 3 tests.
Drivers arrive there after a stretch of more than 800 meters during which Formula 1 cars should reach about 340 km/h. They will then have to brake extremely hard to negotiate the chicane at only 80 km/h, a deceleration of nearly 260 km/h over a relatively short distance.
The combination of this violent braking, the narrowness of the chicane, and the absence of a real runoff area makes the spot particularly tricky. A few meters’ error in braking or a wheel lock-up could immediately send a single-seater into the barriers.
Corner 7: a completely blind summit
Just out of this chicane, drivers will face another trap. Corner 7 is at the highest point of the circuit, about 697 meters above sea level, and has the peculiarity of crossing a crest.
The corner is therefore blind: at the moment of braking and placing their car, drivers will not be able to clearly see the apex. A considerable difficulty when you have to simultaneously drive on the limit and maintain an extremely precise trajectory.
Above all, the wall at the exit is particularly close. A car slightly mispositioned at the top of the climb could miss its apex and end directly in the barriers. On a track that drivers are still discovering, this section could cause some unpleasant surprises as early as free practice.
Corner 17: heading to the tunnel
Further along the lap, corner 17 is another particularly tricky sector. This 90-degree curve leads drivers to a tunnel passing under the M-11 highway, with very close concrete walls before and after the corner.
The limited visibility further complicates the situation. Drivers will have to perfectly anticipate their braking and trajectory, as the possibilities to correct an error once engaged in the corner will be extremely limited.
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The approach could also pose problems when drivers follow another car. They will arrive after corners 14 and 15, where aerodynamic load is significant. The turbulence generated by the preceding car could therefore reduce stability and make positioning at the braking of corner 17 even more delicate.
Several accidents actually occurred in this area during the Formula 3 tests, confirming that it should be one of the most closely watched sectors of the weekend.
La Monumental: fewer accidents, but huge consequences
The most spectacular corner of the Madring remains number 12, called La Monumental. This huge banked curve, 550 meters long and inclined at 24 degrees, has already become the emblematic image of the new Madrid circuit.
Curiously, it caused almost no incidents during the Formula 3 tests. However, this does not mean it is without danger. Formula 1 cars should run there at around 300 km/h and endure significant lateral forces for about five seconds.
The real risk therefore does not necessarily lie in the probability of making a mistake there, but in the potential consequences of going off track. At such a speed, the slightest mechanical problem, loss of grip, or loss of control could cause a particularly violent accident.
A circuit that will forgive almost nothing
The first feedback from drivers all goes in the same direction. Max Verstappen compared some parts of the Madring to Jeddah and believes the track could cause “big accidents”. Pierre Gasly, for his part, said he would gladly bet on at least one red flag appearing during the weekend.
The Frenchman also compared Madrid to Monaco on one essential point: a mistake that would cost only a few tenths on a traditional circuit can here immediately turn into contact with the wall. The progressive discovery of the track and the significant expected evolution of grip will add even more difficulty.
Drivers will therefore have to find a particularly delicate balance between caution and performance. Attacking too early could lead to going off track, but waiting too long before pushing the limits could be costly when qualifying comes.
Madrid promises an eventful weekend
With its peaks at 340 km/h, violent braking, blind corners, and omnipresent barriers, the Madring brings together many ingredients likely to cause session interruptions. The incidents observed in Formula 3 have already shown that the danger is not only theoretical.
Corners 5 and 6 seem to be the main black spot, while corners 7 and 17 will offer very little margin for error. La Monumental represents a different risk: accidents there could be less frequent but potentially much more violent given the speed.
Even before the first official lap of a Formula 1 car in Madrid, the Madring has already earned its nickname of “car killer.” The question remains how many drivers will manage to avoid its traps when the times really start to fall.
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