Freddie Slater, the Formula 3 championship leader, has labelled the new Madrid circuit as "incredible" to drive after the first day of official testing at the Madring track, which will host the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026.
The 3.365-mile street circuit around the IFEMA Exhibition Centre replaces Barcelona as the Spanish GP venue under a 10-year deal. Formula 1 is scheduled to race there on 11-13 September 2026, with the F3 season finale taking place that same weekend.
During the test on 24-25 August, Slater set the fastest time on day one with a 1:50.343s lap for Trident, while Ugo Ugochukwu of Campos Racing topped day two with a 1:49.034s.
"I think it was a really positive day. 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," said the Audi junior. "It's probably one of the most enjoyable on a push lap on the calendar."
Slater emphasised the need for gradual adaptation, given the circuit's street nature with 22 corners. "Like Macau and Monaco, I had to build up speed gradually, not being too over the limit at the start to avoid crashing," he added.
With two rounds remaining at Monza (5-6 September) and Madrid (12-13 September), Slater leads the standings by eight points over Ugochukwu. This test provides crucial data for teams with no historical references.
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