The first official test at the Madring circuit in Madrid ended with a series of concerning incidents. A total of 19 red flags were waved during the two-day session, highlighting several potential danger spots that could become a nightmare for Formula 1 when it arrives in September.
Ten different drivers made contact with the barriers, with five red flags shown on the first day. Christian Ho, Fernando Barrichello, Jin Nakamura, Gladysz, and Freddie Slater were among those who found the walls. Turn 17 was a particular hotspot, marking the start of a 'staircase' section of 90-degree corners before the main straight. The corner entry and exit are closely lined by walls, with the exit also passing through a tunnel. While the mid-corner runoff may tempt drivers to push their braking, evidence suggests that is not a wise idea.
Turns 5 and 6 also caused two red flags. The track follows a roundabout through a tight left-right-left chicane, with aggressive kerbs reminiscent of the former Singapore Sling. In a race scenario, lunges into this complex could be attempted, but the high-risk nature and the likelihood of rivals claiming avoidance of an incident make it more probable that problems will only arise during flat-out qualifying runs.
Turn 7, a blind crest with a left swing on entry, caught out three drivers. The aggressive wall on the exit, before the track sweeps left again, could prove tricky in all sessions. Other corners that claimed single drivers were Turns 3, 10, 11, and 14, likely due to low grip conditions.
F1 will visit Madrid for the first time between September 11-13. Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso are expected to be the center of attention in front of their home fans, after Lewis Hamilton scored his first Ferrari victory in Barcelona earlier this season.
With the data from this F3 test, F1 teams will closely analyze the danger zones to prepare their strategies and car setups. New circuits always hold surprises, and Madrid looks set to be a tough challenge for drivers and engineers alike.
Read Also
Luke Browning kembali turun di FP1 F1, kali ini bersama Williams di GP Italia Monza. Ini jadi kesempatan keenamnya mengemudikan mobil F1.
Nico Rosberg memuji reaksi spektakuler Nico Hulkenberg yang menghindari tabrakan dengan rekan setimnya Gabriel Bortoleto di GP Belanda. Hulkenberg finis kedelapan.
Carlos Sainz mengakui Williams hanya lebih cepat dari Cadillac setelah performa buruk di Zandvoort. Albon juga mengeluhkan banyaknya blue flag yang merusak balapan.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!