The Madring tested and thrilled drivers over one lap, but the Spanish Grand Prix was plagued by a chronic lack of overtaking.<\/p>\n
Nico Rosberg, the 2016 world champion, claimed that \u201cwe need to criticise Carlos Sainz\u201d for this, following comments from Max Verstappen for greater driver input in circuit design.<\/p>\n
Nico Rosberg calls out Carlos Sainz over Madring<\/p>\n
The Spanish Grand Prix was a processional affair with race winning Kimi Antonelli needing only to conserve his tyres outside of Charles Leclerc\u2019s dirty air before the Ferrari pitted and freed him into the lead.<\/p>\n
Lando Norris was on a recovery mission after his earlier Virtual Safety Car heartbreak, but there was no way past P2 Max Verstappen.<\/p>\n
Rosberg was not impressed and pointed to Sainz\u2019s ambassadorial role with the Madring as a contributing factor to the circuit\u2019s struggle to create an engaging race.<\/p>\n
Sainz was reluctant to criticise the Madring, but did say, when quizzed on the circuit by PlanetF1.com, that \u201cwe have a couple of options maybe to look into.\u201d <\/p>\n
He asked that the circuit is \u201copen-minded.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cRight now, it\u2019s a great qualifying track, but it also needs to be a good race track. Hopefully, if the circuit keeps its mind open and the FIA to changes, it means probably that we can add a couple of overtaking spots in the future that might put this race even higher on our favourite list of circuits.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Sky F1\u2019s Simon Lazenby questioned why a track where drivers cannot overtake was designed from scratch, Rosberg replied: \u201cAnd Carlos Sainz was the ambassador, so we need to criticise Carlos Sainz.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey need to revisit the track layout for next year and create one good overtaking opportunity. We need that on this track, because it\u2019s just too hard to overtake.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was pretty shocking, like [Oscar] Piastri on [Franco] Colapinto, for example. Piastri had fresh tyres, and he could not get past, and he was so much quicker. It\u2019s just super hard to overtake.\u201d<\/p>\n
Verstappen, as well as calling for drivers to have more of a say in circuit design, also stressed that there is \u201calways a way to find an overtaking opportunity around a track\u201d regardless of space available.<\/p>\n
It was a largely negative response from the drivers to the Madring race, as suggestions to improve the spectacle on a Sunday emerged.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt definitely doesn\u2019t create overtaking opportunities and it doesn\u2019t push you to try and make a move, because 80 per cent of the time, you might have contact,\u201d said Antonelli.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I think especially in the second chicane, if I would have turned in, me and Lando would have touched and probably gone in the wall and blocked the road. Definitely wouldn\u2019t have been nice.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I think there are some corners that need to be changed to create more overtaking opportunities because right now, yes, it\u2019s nice over one lap, but in the race you\u2019re just stuck behind.\u201d<\/p>\n
Norris said: \u201cI think there are some obvious changes they should make. They should get rid of [Turn] 18, 19. Useless. Just have more of a straight into a hairpin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how someone looks at this design and goes, \u2018Mint.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of opportunity. I think they can make it into a track that\u2019s good for racing, and I\u2019m excited to come back here next year if they can make these changes, because I think it\u2019s a track that is good fun to drive and it can be a great racetrack. To me, it\u2019s not a great racetrack. It\u2019s great in qualifying.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, straight line from 17 straight to 20, have a much wider entry like Austin Turn 1 or Turn 10 in Austin, big hairpin. You\u2019ll create much better opportunities for everyone and you\u2019ll be able to enjoy the race.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are some simple changes and maybe some trickier ones, like Turn 5, 6, 7. It\u2019s hard to know exactly what\u2019s the best thing. The fact you have to turn and brake basically defeats the whole object of racing. So, they can do some simple changes, I think, easy changes and maybe some more tricky, but I hope they do it because then it should be more exciting for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Latest Spanish GP reaction from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n
Spanish GP conclusions: Imaginary Hamilton challenge over, Norris joins elite, soulless Madring<\/a><\/p>\n