"I almost fell asleep" – F1 drivers push for Madrid track changes after "very poor" Spanish GP

The Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix took place in Madrid, with Kimi Antonelli winning the first Grand Prix staged in the city for 45 years. Antonelli, an Italian Mercedes driver, took victory at the newly built Madring circuit after a virtual safety car was deployed due to a problem for Lance Stroll. This allowed Antonelli to pit and emerge ahead of pole-sitter Lando Norris, who had led the early stages but finished third behind Max Verstappen.

According to Motorsport.com, Max Verstappen had expressed concerns about the track, saying he couldn't see a single overtaking opportunity on Saturday. The event drew hundreds of thousands of spectators, but also received complaints over ticket prices, noise, and disruption. Some drivers, including Verstappen, were critical of the new circuit itself.

The race saw some incidents, including contact between Spanish drivers Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, who were fighting towards the back of the field. Sainz received a five-second penalty and later retired, while Alonso finished near the back of the field. Antonelli described his win as not feeling as good due to the circumstances, saying he felt "a bit bad for Lando" Norris, who had been leading before the virtual safety car was deployed.

Brief written by urgent.news from Motorsport.com, Spain in English, Yahoo Sports — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.