Max Verstappen appreciates certain aspects of the Madring, but considers its layout very poorly suited for overtaking and already dismisses the organizers’ excuses.
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Max Verstappen did not wait for the first Formula 1 race held on the Madring to point out one of the main flaws of the new Spanish circuit. Third in qualifying behind Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli, the Dutchman fears that Sunday’s Grand Prix will turn into a procession due to the lack of real overtaking opportunities.
The Red Bull driver does not question everything. He particularly appreciates the grip offered by the new asphalt and praises the work done by the organizers to prepare the event. But when it comes to the very design of the circuit, Verstappen is much more critical.
“There is no place to overtake”
The Madring provided particularly close qualifying, with only 140 thousandths separating Verstappen from Norris’s pole. But the spectacle over one lap does not necessarily guarantee an exciting race over the 57 laps scheduled for Sunday.
With its 22 corners and several zones where drivers have to turn while braking, the layout does not offer, according to Verstappen, enough opportunities to attack another single-seater.
“I like the grip. They did a good job with the asphalt, even if some places are already a bit too bumpy for such a new circuit.”
The four-time world champion is, however, much less enthusiastic about the braking zones.
“In the corners, you can’t overtake. In some places, they need to understand that you should never have to turn while braking, because it practically prevents any possibility of overtaking.”
Verstappen wants drivers to be more consulted
For Verstappen, the problem could have been avoided from the design stage of the Madring. The Dutchman believes that drivers should be more involved in the development of future circuits to identify configurations that truly favor battles on track.
“Regarding the circuit design, I clearly think it could be better. In the future, asking drivers’ opinions more during circuit design could also help a lot.”
One of the justifications often given to explain certain characteristics of street circuits concerns the lack of available space. An argument that Verstappen categorically refuses to accept.
“I know they will always answer you: ‘Yes, but we lack space.’ But that’s nonsense. There is always a way to create at least one overtaking opportunity on a circuit.”
A criticism that echoes the one made by George Russell after qualifying. The Mercedes driver also regretted that the longest straight of the Madring leads to a roundabout-shaped section rather than a clear braking zone allowing an attack attempt.
Verstappen nevertheless praises the organizers
The Red Bull driver nevertheless wants to distinguish the design of the layout from the overall organization of the first Formula 1 Grand Prix in the Spanish capital since 1981. On this point, his judgment is much more positive.
Verstappen describes the event as particularly successful and highlights the speed with which the circuit was prepared. The teams also received the necessary information early enough to reproduce the Madring in their simulators and start their preparation before arriving in Spain.
“The event as a whole is really very successful and they did an excellent job. The speed with which they made the circuit available and the information that was provided for the simulator were also very good.”
His assessment remains unchanged regarding the race.
“If we want to have better races and more overtaking, there are a few corners that can be modified.”
“Even if you are faster, you can’t pass”
This weakness could directly affect Verstappen on Sunday. The Dutchman will start third, just behind Norris and Antonelli, but he does not seem very convinced he can take advantage of any potential superiority of his Red Bull in race pace.
“It will be difficult. At best, you are faster than the car in front of you, but you can’t overtake it.”
The problem is simple in Verstappen’s eyes: even with a pace advantage, he currently sees no corner where an attack seems really feasible.
“There is no corner where you can overtake. So we will have to rely on very significant tire degradation for some drivers, which will make things complicated.”
Tire degradation as the only solution ?
The long stints carried out during testing have precisely shown significant tire degradation for several teams. This phenomenon could create pace differences large enough to allow drivers to get closer, while strategy could also play a decisive role.
“The long stints were very tough here, with a lot of degradation for everyone. That will probably be the key element tomorrow, but even then, I still have to find which corner I can overtake in.”
Verstappen thus finds himself in a paradoxical situation before the start. His third place keeps him perfectly in the fight with Norris and Antonelli, but the Dutchman believes that track position could matter more than pure speed.
If his fears are confirmed on Sunday, the organizers of the Madring could quickly face a tricky question: how to modify a brand-new circuit to offer more overtaking opportunities from the next editions?
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