Verstappen calls for Madring layout changes over overtaking concerns

Max Verstappen has called for changes to the Madring circuit's corner layouts after Spanish Grand Prix qualifying, saying its braking zones leave too little room for overtaking. The Red Bull driver raised the concerns at Saturday's post-qualifying press conference, where pole-sitter Lando Norris and second-placed Kimi Antonelli also identified areas they would like improved.

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According to the FIA's transcript, Verstappen argued that asking drivers to brake while turning restricts passing opportunities. He urged greater driver involvement in future circuit design and said limited space did not mean a track could not offer a place to overtake. His criticism concerned the layout, while he praised the event's organisation and the grip provided by the asphalt.

Norris singled out the pit lane as another obstacle to varied racing. In the same press conference, the McLaren driver said the time lost making a stop discouraged teams from trying different strategies. He also suggested changes to individual corners, while stressing that he enjoyed driving the circuit and considered it capable of improvement.

Antonelli supplied a practical example from his running in Madrid. BBC Sport reported that the Mercedes driver had spent two laps trying to pass a Williams during practice. He said following another car was difficult and described pressure on the driver ahead as one possible way to create an opportunity, rather than suggesting overtaking would be straightforward.

The discussion followed a tightly contested qualifying session in which Norris beat Antonelli by 0.011 seconds, with Verstappen third. BBC Sport reported that Norris improved by 0.701 seconds between his two final-session laps. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said the pole lap still included a final-corner error that cost approximately 0.35 seconds.

Norris had also missed almost all of Friday's second practice because of a gearbox problem, according to the BBC. That left him without the race-distance experience normally gathered during that session. Saturday's qualifying nevertheless ended without an incident, after final practice had been interrupted by separate crashes involving Lewis Hamilton and Oliver Bearman.

The drivers' comments set out requested improvements, not an announced redesign. Their assessments of passing difficulty came before the first Formula 1 race at the new Madrid venue; the race itself had yet to establish how those concerns would play out in competition.