Stefano Domenicali expects Madring to reward commitment and charge heavily for mistakes when Formula 1 races on the new circuit for the first time.
The Formula 1 chief executive says the Spanish Grand Prix is sold out, ending the commercial part of the experiment before the cars have turned a competitive lap. The sporting examination will be less predictable.
Madring combines permanent and street-circuit sections, with nearby walls leaving limited room for error. If you make a mistake, the bill will be expensive – without doubt – if you leave the track, Domenicali said in remarks translated from Spanish. That risk should require drivers to operate at the limit while learning a layout for which teams have only simulation data.
The most distinctive section is La Monumental, a long, steeply banked corner built around a large hospitality area. Carlos Sainz has driven the circuit, while Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton sampled it during a Ferrari filming day. The drivers expect a really complicated circuit and say La Monumental is impressive, Domenicali said.
He also expects the venue’s location to become part of Formula 1’s model. The circuit is close to Madrid’s airport and public transport, with organizers estimating that 90 percent of spectators can arrive without a car.
None of that guarantees a good race. New circuits reveal their awkward details only after Formula 1 cars start using the curbs, tire temperatures and escape roads in anger.
Friday practice will provide the first useful verdict on whether Madring is a demanding circuit with character or simply an expensive place to learn a new lesson.