Verstappen unimpressed with new Madrid street circuit despite strong debut

Madrid, September 12 — Max Verstappen expressed his disapproval on Friday after completing sixth in the second practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix, falling four-tenths behind the leading championship contender, Kimi Antonelli. When queried about his initial impressions of the new and risky hybrid Madring circuit on the outskirts of Madrid, Verstappen declared, "I'm not a fan of street circuits."

He affirmed that his sentiment would not change, explaining, "I always prefer driving on a track like Spa in Belgium." Despite his reservations about street circuits, Verstappen acknowledged the builders' efforts, saying, "I think they've done a really good job in terms of construction." He described the circuit as "challenging" and stated that finishing as expected was no surprise.

"From our side, it's more or less where we are. We just need to work a little bit more on the balance and try to get more out of one lap, and then we'll see how the tires hold up on the long run, but I guess everyone is in the same boat," Verstappen concluded. His Red Bull teammate, Liam Lawson, who was substituting for the injured Isack Hadjar, finished in tenth place.

Mercedes and Ferrari maintained their pace throughout the day's unexpectedly straightforward action, with only one red flag. That incident occurred when Racing Bulls' promising rookie, Arvid Lindblad, crashed during second practice. Most observers in the paddock, including the drivers themselves, had anticipated a series of accidents and red flags.

However, Lindblad managed to finish fourth fastest after Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton, with George Russell rounding out the top five in the second Mercedes. Verstappen was sixth ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri, whose team-mate Lando Norris only managed two laps before stopping for a new gearbox during the second session.

McLaren technical director Mark Temple remarked that Norris' setback was significant, particularly as they were to attempt maximizing his track time before FP3.