Formula 1 drivers have voiced significant criticism of the new Madring circuit in Madrid following qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen was among the most vocal critics, stating bluntly that he has yet to identify a single corner where overtaking is possible.
Polesitter Lando Norris had already acknowledged that the thrill of the circuit cannot be compared with Monaco, setting a cautious tone ahead of Sunday’s race.
Verstappen acknowledged the quality of the tarmac but was clear that the track design itself falls short of what Formula 1 racing demands.
“They did a good job with the tarmac, even though in some places it’s already a bit too bumpy for a new track. But the corners, like I said before, you can’t overtake,” Verstappen said.
The four-time world champion identified the braking zones as a fundamental flaw, explaining that drivers are forced to brake while simultaneously turning, eliminating any chance of pulling alongside a rival.
“Then there is only one line and that makes it very easy to defend as well,” Verstappen told Autosport when pressed on the specific issue with the braking zones.
When asked what changes would improve racing at the venue, the Dutchman laughed off the question before making a genuine offer to help redesign the layout.
“Almost all the braking zones! If you give me the track map, I’ll sort it out,” he said, before adding that he would genuinely be willing to collaborate with the FIA and track designers on improvements.
“They can always ask me, ‘What do you think of this layout?’ I don’t want to go into details now, because you have different track designers, but sometimes I do talk to someone about certain opinions and circuits,” Verstappen said.
He pointed to Circuit of the Americas in Austin as a strong example of a track that enables proper racing, citing its wide corners and multiple opportunities for drivers to attempt and sustain moves.
“There are also some good examples, like Austin. You can race well there. Certain corners are nice and wide. At least you can make a move there, and even if it doesn’t work straight away, you can still fight on the corner exit,” he explained.
Verstappen confirmed that drivers were not consulted during the design process for the Madring, noting this is rarely the case and pointing to Jeddah as an exception where some changes were made.
Both Verstappen and Norris also criticised the unusually long pitlane, which is effectively divided into two sections due to an IFEMA exhibition hall interrupting the pit boxes.
“Yeah, we’ve already talked about that with the FIA and they understood our point as well. It’s not convenient, it hasn’t been thought through logically,” Verstappen said of the pitlane arrangement.
The lengthy pitlane is expected to discourage teams from making additional stops on Sunday despite high tyre degradation, further reducing the prospect of an action-packed race.
Power unit limitations also added to Verstappen’s frustrations during qualifying, with energy management preventing him from taking the banked corner flat out.
“I want to take that banked corner flat-out, but if I do that, then I lose more time on the straight afterwards,” he said, describing how drivers must lift and wait to recharge the battery before accessing full power.
Despite his many criticisms, Verstappen did leave the door open for the Madrid venue to improve with modifications in future years, acknowledging it is not the worst street circuit on the calendar.