By: The brand-new F1 event in Madrid is sure to deliver plenty of surprises. The circuit layout could be ideal for modern Formula E cars, or IndyCars. Tight corners and abrupt changes of direction are genuine traps for the drivers, especially during race pace simulations.
What emerged from this PL2 session is that there are not many places to overtake and, if you end up behind another car, the situation quickly becomes rather complicated. Leclerc demonstrated this: despite beginning his race pace simulation with an attacking lap time on a par with Verstappen, he was then unable to maintain a consistent and competitive pace.
Traffic and degradation spoil the simulations
Traffic was an issue for everyone today, to varying degrees. Oscar Piastri was too slow, while Max Verstappen was far too inconsistent. Lando Norris (McLaren), meanwhile, was absent, held in his garage by a technical problem. Max's Red Bull team-mate Liam Lawson (standing in temporarily for Isack Hadjar) completed just one lap, probably also because of the red flag triggered by Arvid Lindblad (VCARB), who had been doing an excellent job up to that point.
There was then also a great deal of degradation, although this could be a natural factor at a new circuit. The green track surface and all the categories completing their first laps: it is normal for there to be degradation, at least today. Tomorrow's picture will certainly be far more indicative of what we can expect on Sunday.
Uncertain data after a chaotic opening day
That said, Russell and Verstappen were undoubtedly the fastest. George was not only quick but also very consistent, while Max had moments of weakness. What is concerning about the Red Bull's race pace is that it matched Russell's pace on the Softs.
Today's session was nevertheless very chaotic and not easy to interpret. What we can say is that Mercedes and Red Bull look very strong, but McLaren, expected to improve tomorrow, will need to be watched closely. A response from Ferrari is expected.
The C3 Medium appeared to cause problems for everyone. At present, opting for Softs and Hards does not seem a bad strategic idea.
Cover photo by Luca Martini / WHYOUT Images
