Jun.17 (GMM) Carlos Sainz admits he was surprised Formula 1 and the FIA approved Madrid’s spectacular new banked corner.
The Williams driver attended the official Madring inauguration event on Tuesday, where media were given one of the clearest looks yet at the circuit amid ongoing speculation about whether the venue will be ready in time for its Formula 1 debut.
While major construction work and the asphalt are complete, temporary grandstands for almost 100,000 spectators, hospitality facilities and much of the safety fencing are still to be installed.
Construction vehicles were still active around the site on Tuesday.
“We will be on schedule,” insisted Madring operations director Carlos Jimenez.
“The most difficult parts are over so I am not worried, although we must not let our guard down.”
The centrepiece of the project remains the so-called La Monumental corner, a 540-metre banked turn featuring a 24 percent gradient – the maximum permitted under FIA regulations.
“From the moment I saw the design, I was very surprised that F1 dared to include this corner on the calendar and that Pirelli gave it the green light,” Sainz said.
“It’s not an easy corner for F1 cars due to the stress the tires will endure. It’s almost a 180-degree turn with a brutal gradient. It’s going to be a headache for the teams and the engineers – we’ll see how they handle it.
“But it’s welcome, because it adds character and personality.”
The Spaniard expects the corner to be taken flat out.
“I’d need a simulator, but it looks impressive,” he said. “We’ll enter it at very high speed, close to 200kph, and I think it will be flat out the whole time.”
The Madrid native says the circuit’s biggest strength is its changing character.
“If I had to describe the circuit in a few words, the first sector is a street circuit with long straights, similar to Baku.
“But suddenly, after turns seven and eight, you change direction and it becomes a permanent circuit. The walls are further away, the corners are wider and higher-speed. In the third sector, you return to a street circuit.”
“It’s something no other circuit on the calendar has, and it gives it charisma and character.”
The Madridring will host its first Formula 1 race in mid September.
Join Grand Prix Tours in Austin, Texas for the high-energy 2026 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Experience nonstop action on one of Formula 1’s most exciting tracks, featuring dramatic elevation changes, thrilling overtakes, and a packed race weekend. Off the track, enjoy a festival atmosphere with live music, world-famous BBQ, and buzzing nightlife. Your Grand Prix Tours package includes a fully curated race weekend, highlighted by exclusive access to our private F1 Celebrity Talk Show, where guests gain insider insights and behind-the-scenes perspectives. With demand soaring and this event quickly becoming a modern American racing tradition, now is the time to secure your spot for an unforgettable Austin Grand Prix experience.
SHOW PACKAGES
There are motorsport events, and then there is the Indianapolis 500, the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Next year marks Grand Prix Tours' 42nd Indianapolis 500 tour and our decades of experience and local connections provide exclusive access that few fans ever enjoy, including police escorts on race day, a Dallara IndyCar Factory tour, Gasoline Alley and Legends Day, the Driver Introduction Ceremony, and a private dinner with former Indy driver Derek Daly. Combined with excellent hotel accommodations, seamless event planning, and Grand Prix Tours' signature service, this is far more than a race weekend; it's a once-in-a-lifetime motorsport experience. With tour spaces limited each year, we encourage you to reserve your place early for the 111th Indianapolis 500.
SHOW PACKAGES
Experience Formula 1 at its most iconic with an unforgettable trip to the 2027 Grand Prix de Monaco. Feel the excitement as the world’s best drivers race through the legendary streets of Monte Carlo, surrounded by superyachts, Mediterranean views, and the unmistakable glamour of Monaco. From incredible race viewing to carefully selected accommodations, Grand Prix Tours brings you closer to the action at one of the most prestigious and spectacular events in all of motorsport.
SHOW PACKAGES
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the ultimate test of speed, strategy, and endurance. Watch the world's top manufacturers battle for 24 nonstop hours in one of motorsport's most prestigious events. With Grand Prix Tours handling your accommodations, transfers, and ticket options, all that's left is to experience this unforgettable bucket-list race.
SHOW PACKAGES
Feel the roar of Formula 1 at its spiritual home. Silverstone is one of the fastest and most demanding circuits in the world, where brave overtakes, lightning-fast direction changes, and flat-out commitment separate the best from the rest. Combined with the electric atmosphere created by hundreds of thousands of passionate fans, the British Grand Prix delivers a race weekend unlike any other.
SHOW PACKAGES