10 September 2026 – 09:29

Max Verstappen says Madrid’s new Formula 1 circuit looks demanding but fears its braking-zone characteristics could make overtaking particularly difficult.

Speaking on his Twitch channel, recalling his recent laps on the Madring layout in Red Bull’s simulator, Verstappen said the lap is difficult to put together cleanly.

“It’s going to be very difficult,” he said.

“It’s not an easy track, actually. If you do a few laps in a row, it’s always very hard to cross the line and say, ’Okay, I nailed the lap.’”

He also warned that the combination of speed and nearby walls could punish mistakes heavily.

“It has a tendency of maybe creating some big shunts in some places,” said the Dutchman.

“It reminds me a little bit of Jeddah in a way – fast corners and the walls being very close.”

But Verstappen’s main concern is overtaking.

“The only thing that’s already a bit disappointing is that many of the braking zones are angled,” he said.

“This means it’s practically impossible to attack a competitor because you’re braking and simultaneously turning right or left.”

“And that’s the worst thing you can do if you want to create an overtaking opportunity.”

Franco Colapinto expressed a similar concern after arriving in Madrid.

“The F3 guys raced (tested) and the feedback is very positive, the only unknown is whether it will be easy to overtake,” he said.

“It has a lot of braking zones while cornering and so on, which complicates overtaking.”

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also expects the circuit to punish errors.

“There will be a lot of attention and concentration because, if you make a mistake, the price will be high, without a doubt, if you go off the track,” he said.