F1 drivers split on Madring after debut practice: 'Best race in Europe' or 'very high risk'?

Formula 1’s newest venue made its competitive debut on Friday as drivers completed two practice sessions at the Madring circuit ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, with reactions ranging from genuine excitement to measured caution.

The 5.4km track blends the unforgiving characteristics of a street circuit with a series of medium-to-high-speed corners, and drivers had already flagged its demands after simulator work. The real thing, it turned out, lived up to the billing — for better and worse.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who ended the day fifth despite the team struggling for pace relative to rivals, captured the circuit’s unusual challenge: “There’s a lot of sections here where you’re not really brushing up against the walls, you’re kind of turning or heading at them and then you need to avoid them. So, it makes things quite challenging. Everyone is still getting up to speed, but when you get into a decent rhythm over one lap, it’s pretty enjoyable.”

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was similarly impressed, noting that grip levels were already higher than expected for a brand-new surface. “It was exciting to drive on the Madrid circuit today. It’s a challenging street track, which is the type I usually enjoy and this one is no exception. I was quite impressed with the amount of grip there already was, considering that this is a completely new track with not much rubber on it so far.”

Mercedes’ George Russell was less effusive. While his team-mate Kimi Antonelli topped the combined timesheet, Russell described the Madring as a “very high risk circuit” and raised doubts about the prospect of racing wheel-to-wheel, warning that overtaking would be “very tough” — a concern echoed widely across the paddock.

The day’s running was not entirely clean. Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad crashed during the second session, though no other significant incidents disrupted proceedings. Combined braking zones, rapidly evolving grip levels, tyre wear and traffic congestion were identified as the main headaches across both hours.

The loudest endorsement came from Cadillac’s Sergio Perez, a Madrid resident who acknowledged his car’s performance left something to be desired but was unrestrained in his praise for the venue itself. “Really cool track, really nice venue,” the Mexican said. “Really happy to be here in Madrid. I think definitely this is going to become the best race in Europe. It’s going to be a chaotic qualifying tomorrow and obviously a very chaotic race on Sunday, so a lot can happen.”

With minimal runoff areas and grip still building on the new asphalt, Saturday’s qualifying session is expected to be among the most unpredictable of the season.