F3 leader Slater hails Madrid's Madring circuit as one of the best he has driven

Formula 3 championship leader Freddie Slater has declared the new Madrid street circuit “one of the best tracks I’ve driven” following the junior series’ two-day test at the Madring venue on 24-25 August — the track that will host the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026.

Madrid has replaced Barcelona on the Formula 1 calendar on a 10-year deal, with the inaugural Spanish GP at the 3.365-mile IFEMA Exhibition Centre circuit scheduled for 11-13 September 2026. That weekend will also serve as the F3 season finale, making the August test the teams’ first opportunity to gather data on a layout that features 22 corners across a mix of private and public roads.

Slater, who drives for Trident and is an Audi junior, set the fastest time on day one with a 1m50.343s lap. Campos Racing’s Ugo Ugochukwu — Slater’s closest rival in the standings — went quickest on day two with a 1m49.034s. For context, an F1 car is expected to lap the circuit in around 1m32s.

“I think this track is incredible to drive, it’s a bit old-school, got some interesting corners and it’s got a lot of character to it,” Slater said after Monday’s running. “It’s probably one of the most enjoyable on a push lap on the calendar.”

With teams relying primarily on simulator data heading into the test — there being no previous on-track data to draw from — Slater emphasised the value of building up gradually. “It’s about going out, being on the limit, but not being too over the limit that you end up risking crashing,” he said, drawing comparisons to his experience at Monaco and Macau this season.

“Like all the best tracks, like your Macau’s, your Monaco’s, the tracks that have got character — I think that’s what’s the most special thing that they’ve done here. I can’t name a favourite part, but I do like the Turn 5 and 6 chicane.”

Slater currently leads the F3 standings by eight points over Ugochukwu, with rounds at Monza on 5-6 September and Madrid on 12-13 September remaining to decide the 2026 championship.