Verstappen warns of "big shunts" as Madring prepares for F1 debut

Verstappen expects a demanding Madrid weekend

Max Verstappen has predicted that the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid’s Circuito de Madring could produce several serious accidents, warning that the new venue will leave little room for error.

The challenge was already evident during a recent Formula 3 test in Madrid. Across two days, 19 red flags were deployed, with 11 caused by contact with the barriers. That record has fuelled speculation that the Spanish Grand Prix weekend could feature multiple collisions.

A circuit that demands precision

Verstappen said he had driven the layout on his home simulator, as well as on the team’s Formula 1 simulator, but stressed that virtual preparation had not made the circuit feel straightforward.

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

That difficulty is central to the circuit’s character. The Red Bull driver believes the layout can punish even small errors, particularly in sections where the barriers are close enough to turn a loss of control into a major impact.

“It’s very hard. It also has a tendency of creating some big shunts in some places,” he added.

Similarities to Jeddah

Formula 1 has expanded its presence at street circuits in recent years, with Jeddah, Miami and Las Vegas among the venues added to the calendar. Verstappen compared the Madring most closely with Jeddah, a track he said shares the same intimidating relationship between speed and surrounding walls.

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

With no established Formula 1 reference point at the Madrid venue, every team and driver will be working to define the limits during the weekend. Verstappen’s warning suggests those limits may be discovered the hard way.