Charles Leclerc shares behind-the-scenes stories from F1’s newest track after his exclusive first drive.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc recently shared his thoughts about F1’s newest track after getting a chance to try it out with his seven-time World Champion teammate, Lewis Hamilton. The two were given time to test the brand new street circuit during a filming day at Madring back in July.
This new 5.4km track will bring the Spanish Grand Prix back to Madrid’s city center for the first time in 40 years when the race takes place on September 13. Leclerc and Hamilton had 200 km of practice between them on the layout, which features 22 corners—the most on this year’s F1 calendar, except for Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah circuit, which might be dropped soon.
One of the most unique parts of the track is a long, 547-meter right-hand corner with a 24% banking, the steepest allowed by the FIA. Drivers will feel about 4G of force here, similar to a rocket launch, for six seconds straight.
Leclerc described this corner as “very special,” saying, “In qualifying, we’ll have to be very brave because it’s going to be on the limit. It’s going to be really cool, and I believe it could become one of the most iconic corners of the season, especially once the grandstand is built because that will add to the experience.”
This banking, located at the corner called La Monumental, is made from earth dug up during other parts of the track’s construction. It will be the longest corner on the F1 calendar and features a blind exit into a sharp 90-degree turn.
Another of Leclerc’s former teammates, Carlos Sainz, also had a chance to try the track. He called it “one of the most unique corners I’ve ever seen.” He said, “There’s almost a 180-degree banked corner that ends up in a change of compression where you can’t see anything—you go downhill while still banking. They’ve been really bold with the design.”
Luis Garcia Abad, director general of the Spanish Grand Prix, added, “One of our challenges was getting FIA approval for this steep banking. It’s similar to Zandvoort, but longer.”
When talking about the whole circuit, Leclerc sounded optimistic it might suit his style. He said, “I like city tracks in general, so I’m pretty sure I’ll love Madring. I’m not sure yet if it will fit my style perfectly, but one thing’s for sure—you have to give it your all, and that’s what I enjoy about city tracks. It looks like a cool and challenging track with everything I like, so I can’t wait to try it properly during the race weekend.”