FORMULA ONE fans gave a scathing review of the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid as they blasted the track as “Monaco 2.0”.
Kimi Antonelli took the chequered flag in the first-ever race around the Madring, a 22 corner 5.4km hybrid-circuit with both street and traditional track elements.
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It was the first time Madrid has hosted an F1 race since Jarama in 1968, but fans don’t seem too keen to see it back.
Fans slammed the lack of overtaking in the race, going so far as to call for it to be removed from the calendar after just one edition.
Taking to social media, one fan said: “Dreadfully dull and boring race. I don’t understand how you can design a brand new track with virtually zero overtaking opportunities. Ridiculous.”
A second said: “Top three worst designed F1 tracks ever this is. ‘Ooo I’m a track designer, look I designed a big wanky banked corner because I lack any ideas on how to actually create proper overtaking opportunity’.”
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A third added: “So, overtaking is not possible.”
Another said: “Get rid of the Madring it’s absolutely s***. ZERO overtakes. Bulls*** track. We lost spa for this s***.“
A fifth said: “Madring might be the worst circuit ever designed. even Monaco had more overtakes in F2/F3.”
A sixth said: “That was a terrible track. No overtakes for a brand new circuit. Why are they getting rid of nice iconic tracks for such lacklustre ones. Well done FIA. After all the hype, Madring race was so boring, glad that is finally over.”
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Another added: “Madring visually looks great, but I don’t get why, when designing new tracks does. F1 not factor in overtakes? The level of stupidity during the planning process. As soon as I heard ‘it’s very difficult to overtake’ I think, this is another Monaco, I’ll just watch the start.”
Drivers echoed fan frustrations after the race, with four-time world champion Max Verstappen saying all he had to do was put his car in the middle of the track to prevent Lando Norris from passing him for second.
Madring organisers signed a 10-year contract with F1 bosses from this season when the race was first announced in 2024 at a construction cost of over £71million.
But it is safe to say that some major changes will be needed to either the track or the cars before it can come close to calling itself a fan favourite.
F1 takes a break next week before it returns with another street circuit in Azerbaijan.
However, Baku has carved out a reputation for being an exciting race thanks to it having one of the most technically challenging sectors on the calendar and one of the longest straights in another.
That race will be on a rare Saturday on September 26.
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