The first flying lap of the Madrid GP is out, featuring an ‘insane’ corner just before its F1 debut!
The first full flying lap of the new Madring circuit — set to make its debut on the Formula 1 calendar this September — has just been shared, and fans are buzzing about it.
This new street circuit will host the Spanish Grand Prix this season, taking over from the Circuit de Catalunya, which hosted the earlier race in Barcelona.
Some people were worried that building the circuit around Madrid’s IFEMA Exhibition Centre was running late. But the FIA quickly put those worries to rest this week, saying “everything is on track and going as planned.”
They’ll check out the circuit again in August before the big race day on September 13. The Madring will hold the F1 Spanish Grand Prix for the next nine years, up to 2035. If you want to catch the race, you can find ticket info below.
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F1 fans now have their first real look at the track thanks to the newest DLC pack for the F1 25 video game, made by Codemasters and EA Sports.
While the game’s version of the circuit might not be 100% like the real thing in September, it gives a good feel for what drivers will face on race weekend.
Twitter user Jorpaa, part of the Williams e-sports team, posted a lap time of 1:29.789. Game lap times are typically about a second faster than real-life times, so it’s a solid benchmark.
One of the coolest features of the circuit is a long, half-kilometer banked corner shaped like a huge curve. It’s got a steep 24% incline and takes about six seconds to get through. Organizers call it an “imposing wall of asphalt” and say it will change the way we think about F1 corners.
In the game, drivers take this corner at nearly full speed — entering at 240 km/h and leaving at 250 km/h.
The track also has lots of medium and high-speed corners, typical of newer street circuits, keeping things fast and exciting. The pit straight is shorter than the main straights and starts on the left side before switching to the right for the best line into turn one.
There are some climbs and dips around turns four, five, and six. Plus, a tight wall near turn six’s exit could make choosing the perfect speed really tricky, especially during qualifying.
The best chance to overtake might be on the first main straight after turn two, which gives drivers a good stretch before they hit turn four.
What do you think of the new Madring street circuit? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!