Madrid F1 Circuit To Change Layout After Driver Criticism — SkimNews
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- Alex Albon called the inaugural Madrid Grand Prix "pretty boring" and Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto said he "almost fell asleep," with both drivers praising the track's single-lap challenge while flagging a lack of overtaking.
- Lando Norris singled out Turns 18 and 19 as "useless," urging organizers to replace them with "more of a straight into a hairpin" to create passing opportunities next year.
- Ferrari's Frederic Vasseur and Mercedes' Toto Wolff praised the event overall, with Wolff calling it "maybe the best" first race he had seen and noting organizers are "totally open-minded" about tweaks — and Vasseur pointing out Madrid has "more latitude than Monaco to change something."
- Race winner Kimi Antonelli said 80% of attempted overtakes risk contact, arguing specific corners must change because in-race running leaves drivers "just stuck behind."
- Madring managing director Luis Garcia Abad confirmed the FIA has defined how to improve the layout and organizers will reinstall the track for next year, citing available space and venue capacity.
- F1 fans on social media criticized spectator access and facilities at the Ifema venue, citing dirt trackside seating, poor visibility, broken facilities, and a general lack of readiness — complaints distinct from the drivers' track-layout gripes.
Why it matters: The Madrid venue is the rare new F1 circuit with the physical flexibility to be reconfigured — Wolff noted organizers have "more latitude in Madrid than in Monaco" — meaning drivers' complaints about a "pretty boring" race can be addressed through layout changes before next year's event. The outcome shapes whether F1's expansion into temporary street venues in major capitals produces genuine racing, not just qualifying spectacle.
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