Spain’s Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Oscar Puente, has delivered a blistering verdict on the inaugural Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit.
Puente labelled the race “a total dud,” pointing directly at the circuit’s design as the root cause of an underwhelming spectacle for fans worldwide.
The 5.416km Madring circuit had been heavily hyped ahead of its first Formula 1 weekend, promising excitement and drama befitting a brand new venue.
Instead, the race produced virtually no genuine overtaking opportunities, with the field largely running in processional order throughout.
The outcome itself was decided not by on-track brilliance but by the timing of a virtual safety car, which proved decisive for Kimi Antonelli at the expense of Lando Norris.
Criticism has poured in from across the motorsport world, with fans and experts alike condemning the lack of racing action and some spectators reporting poor facilities and organisation at the venue.
Even Williams driver Carlos Sainz, who served as an ambassador for the event, admitted “it’s poor” when discussing safety concerns at the Madring.
The political backlash originated after Victor Abad, editor of Spanish F1 magazine FIUM, posted a scathing assessment on social media comparing the Madring unfavourably to the existing Circuit de Catalunya.
Abad wrote: “The difference between the Circuit de Catalunya and the Madring is that the first was built to compete and this has been set up to rake in the cash.”
He continued: “Congrats to the organisers for pulling this off, but of course it’s clear that here the sporting side is the least of it. Boring races.”
Puente responded directly to Abad’s post and offered no pushback on the criticism, instead reinforcing it with equally damning language of his own.
“Without getting into political controversies, the Grand Prix itself has been a total dud, mainly due to a circuit design that makes overtaking impossible,” Puente stated.
The minister then drew a pointed comparison between the Madring and the notoriously narrow Circuit de Monaco, which hosts Formula 1’s most famous race each season.
“It’s Monaco 2, but faster,” Puente said. “A little train of cars from start to finish, and movement exclusively through strategy.”
The timing of this criticism is particularly difficult for Formula 1 and the race’s organisers, who have committed to a 10-year deal to race at the Madring through at least 2035.
With such a long-term contract in place, both F1 and the venue’s backers will face sustained pressure to address the circuit’s shortcomings and improve the racing product.