David Coulthard has warned that Formula 1 cannot afford to return to the Madring circuit unchanged in 2027, insisting that the negative fan reaction to its first race demands layout revisions. The former F1 driver believes the Spanish capital’s new hybrid street track must evolve after a 57-lap event that drew widespread criticism for its lack of overtaking.
Turns 1 and 5 were identified as the most likely passing spots, but they still required immense bravery and precision to pull off without contact. The circuit was completed just in time for the race, and with another September date on the 2027 calendar, organisers and designers have roughly a year to implement changes.
Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, Coulthard said the championship must take the criticism seriously rather than dismiss it. "I think the fans, we’ve got to listen to them," he said. "We can’t say, ‘Oh, you’re wrong.’ If they’re saying they think the race was boring, then hey, that’s what they think. What we do have is the opportunity to make changes because if we don’t make changes and we come back and have a similar processional raceg And Max Verstappen commented that he was not at all concerned when he was being caught by Lando Norris because he said, ‘All I need to do is drive in the middle of the track as you would in Monaco.’ If we take all that information and come back next year with exactly the same, then put the same cake mix into the oven and expect a different outcome, that’s stupidity."
Coulthard went on to offer specific suggestions for how the track could be reworked to encourage more overtaking. "A good old-fashioned, slower chicane like you have at Monza creates overtaking because you have braking distance," he added. "The first and second chicanes currently are too fast. So you enter on a shallow line with too much speed. Or somewhere around that area, you chuck in a loop, a hairpin loop that encourages people to have a go. That’s the only thing you can do. In the middle part of the circuit where it’s all fast and flowing, you can’t do anything because you need the circuit to join up with the end, and you need to get there somehow."
The criticism comes as little surprise given the hype surrounding the new venue. Max Verstappen and Lando Norris were among those who struggled to find a way past, and Verstappen’s Monaco comparison underlined just how processional the race felt. With the 2027 race already locked in, designers now face pressure to deliver a layout that promotes real racing.
Coulthard’s plea is clear: tweak the track now or risk another dull spectacle. The ball is in the organisers’ court, and the fans will be watching closely when F1 returns to Madrid in 2027.
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