Carlos Sainz Drives the First-Ever Laps of Madrid’s Madring F1 Circuit—and It’s Faster Than Expected
Formula 1 is heading back to Madrid for the first time in 45 years, and the man doing the honors of christening the asphalt is exactly who you’d expect it to be. Williams driver Carlos Sainz has completed the first laps of the Madring circuit, doing so in a 450bhp Ford Mustang GT with F1 presenter Lawrence Barretto riding shotgun. Sainz is the circuit’s official ambassador, which makes him the natural choice to put the first rubber on a track that will host the Spanish Grand Prix come September.
The lap was exploratory at first – a slow tour to take stock of what’s there – and then considerably less so. Sainz’s verdict was clear through his face alone. His overarching conclusion on the 5.
4km, 22-turn circuit is that it’s faster than it looks, largely because of the purpose-built high-speed section that dominates the second half of the lap. “I think it’s something very difficult to describe for me because it’s something that I always dreamed about, you know, just having the opportunity to race at my hometown,” the Spaniard said. “Madrid is a great city, a city that I’ve always talked well about, a city that now is getting to be known quite a bit more, and that now having this Formula 1 track will be amazing.
” He added: “The atmosphere will be incredible. I think Madrid is a city that welcomes a lot of these big events. Obviously, we’re known for the Real Madrid team, but apart from that, we have so many other things going on during the year.
And I’m sure this event will be the biggest one yet. And I think you guys are gonna enjoy it. ” What Makes the Madring Different From Any Other Street Circuit The Madring takes advantage of public roads alongside a purpose-built section, earning it the hybrid street circuit label.
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