Formula 1 drivers have voiced scathing reviews of the new Madrid circuit after a dull debut race. Gabriel Bortoleto of Audi even admitted he almost fell asleep in the cockpit due to the lack of action.
The Spanish Grand Prix moved to Madrid from Barcelona-Catalunya, featuring a 5.414km semi-street circuit. Concerns about overtaking arose as soon as the layout was revealed, and they proved justified in the race.
Bortoleto expressed his frustration: "Yeah, I almost fell asleep as well!" He added that the race was defined by the virtual safety car, as teams couldn't pit with the hard compound. "We just had to accept what happened. After the VSC, there were no more safety cars, so me and Pierre [Gasly] were waiting for a red flag that never came."
The main criticism isn't just the lack of overtaking, but also the circuit design that failed to utilize potential. Half the track could have been designed for overtaking, but the focus seemed to be on the striking banked Turn 12 and retaining a street track feel. "It would be nice if we had at least one place to overtake, but unfortunately that's not how they designed it," Bortoleto said. "The racing side of it is terrible."
Other drivers echoed similar sentiments. They hope future new tracks will involve drivers in the design process. "We know in tracks like this overtaking is going to be very tough. So, maybe in the future," Bortoleto added.
With this result, Madrid must quickly improve if it wants to provide better entertainment. The drivers' harsh criticism signals that the circuit needs a thorough evaluation.
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