Max Verstappen believes the Madring track layout can be tweaked after constantly running out of battery during qualifying for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.
Lando Norris made it three pole positions in 2026 by posting the fastest lap of the top-10 shootout, in the dying embers of the inaugural qualifying session at the brand-new Madring circuit.
That said, Verstappen had looked like the top contender for securing pole for the Spanish GP on Sunday.
The Red Bull driver gladly reflected on qualifying around the undulating and twisty track, albeit lamenting how the 2026 engines didn’t really suit the layout, calling out the much vaunted La Monumental corner
“Well, I wanted to go flat, but then my battery dies, so yeah, to add a lift, to have better deployment, so that’s my Monumental experience,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s cooler banking, but I think they should have done it the other way around though, initially more banking and then just flatten it out.
“I mean, in the F1 car you have so much downforce, I think it’s more challenging in the other categories, because it didn’t look so easy flat in other categories for us, plus of course our battery dies towards the end, so you already slowed out of it, but yeah, I guess for the shots it looks great, for the outside.”
Max Verstappen suggests Madring F1 alterations
Despite being battery-starved throughout qualifying on Saturday, Verstappen was pretty pleased with his experience at the circuit.
He especially commended the tarmac, but circled back to how the track still needs to be optimised for better racing action.
“I like the grip, they did a good job with the tarmac, even though in some places it’s a bit too bumpy already for a new track,” Verstappen continued.
“The corners, like I said before, you can’t overtake, so in some places, the braking zones, like, 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, so 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.”
The Red Bull driver doubled down on the circuit’s street-circuit nature.
“I know they will always come back to you and say, yeah, but the space, but that’s, you know, BS,” he concluded.
“There’s always a way to find an overtaking opportunity around a track, but overall the event itself is very cool. I mean, yes, they’ve done a great job.
“Also, how quick I think they made the track available, the information that was shared for the simulator.
“So from that sense, I think, yeah, 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 is geared up to start the Spanish GP from the second-row of the grid as he looks ahead to bag his first win of 2026.
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