Max Verstappen calls ‘BS’ as Madring problem discovered at Spanish GP

Max Verstappen has called for drivers to be given more input in F1 circuit design, with the Red Bull driver admitting he “still needs to figure out a corner where to pass” at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Verstappen believes “there’s always a way to find an overtaking opportunity” at a circuit and that it’s “BS” if people say otherwise.

Max Verstappen calls for F1 driver track design input

Verstappen qualified third in an entertaining qualifying session at the Spanish Grand Prix, putting his Red Bull among the frontrunners as Lando Norris took a surprise pole position from Kimi Antonelli, with just 0.011s separating the front two.

The drivers have spoken largely in favour of the Madring and its layout so far, but that changes can still be made to offer more opportunities to overtake.

Some have cited the chicane of Turn 5-6, at the end of the longest curved straight, as an example, but Verstappen has been left wondering what he will be able to do from third on the grid in the meantime.

“It will be tough,” he said of potential chances in the race on Sunday.

“Let’s say best case scenario, you are faster – you can’t pass. There are no corners where you can pass.

“So, you need to rely on people degging very aggressively, so it’s going to be tough.

“The long runs are very tough, a lot of deg for everyone, so that will be probably the key point tomorrow. But even with that, I need to still figure out a corner where to pass.”

Pinpointing a particular issue, Verstappen highlighted the challenges of the likes of Turns 7 and 17 at the Madring, where the braking zone comes with a slight jink to the left – meaning an awkward angle for the drivers to nail their braking point.

While highlighting his praise for the new event in the Spanish capital as a whole, he believes certain corners can be adjusted for the coming years to help aid wheel-to-wheel racing possibilities in the future.

As a wider point, the four-time world champion would like to see driver input in future track layouts, and called “BS” on any retorts about the space available not lending itself to corners to lend an overtaking opportunity.

“I like the grip,” he said when asked about his impressions of the Madring so far.

“They did a good job with the tarmac, even though in some places it’s a bit too bumpy already for a new track.

“The corners, like I said before, you can’t overtake. So, in some places, the braking zones, they need to learn that it should never be that you have to steer, that you have to combine under braking because it doesn’t allow any kind of overtaking.

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“For sure, in terms of track design, I think it can be better. I think also input from drivers in the future on track design can I think also help a lot.

“I know they will always come back to you and say, ‘Yeah, but the space…’

“But that’s BS. There’s always a way to find an overtaking opportunity around a track, but overall the event itself is very cool.

“They’ve done a great job. Also, how quick I think they made the track available, [when] the information that was shared for the simulator. So, from that sense, I think it was very good, but in terms of if you want to have better racing, overtaking, I think there can be a few corners that can be changed.”

Verstappen starts behind Norris and Antonelli on the grid tomorrow, and he will have the Ferrari pair in close company on the grid as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will line up fourth and fifth.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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