How Carlos Sainz is helping improve the Madrid F1 track

Carlos Sainz has outlined the advice he has been giving to organisers of Madrid’s new Formula 1 race, as the city prepares to join the world championship in 2026.

Madrid is set to take over the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 as part of a 10-year deal with F1, with a new semi-permanent circuit being developed around the IFEMA exhibition centre.

The highlight of Madring is La Monumental at Turn 12, a 24-degreed banked corner that will run for 550 metres.

Sainz, appointed as an ambassador for the race earlier this year, has taken an active role in promoting the event. But beyond his public duties, the Williams F1 driver has also been closely involved behind the scenes, working with the event’s organising team to ensure the track layout is suitable for overtaking.

“Obviously, the circuit itself is going to have a very characteristic corner with a 24% banking and a very long combined section,” he said in Canada. “That's going to be the main character.

“It's not in an open area where you can design an F1 circuit any way you want. It's going to be more of a street circuit environment.

"But for me, where I'm trying to help is the two main overtaking zones to make sure that the braking zone, the approach of the cars and the way the corner opens up is big enough for overtaking. I have to see if we can change or adapt a couple of things that I've given advice on."

Sainz believes there is no reason why a modern circuit in a city centre cannot encourage overtaking, citing Baku as a track that has provided entertaining races in recent years.

"I try to make sure that whatever the track, there is overtaking” he said. “Look at Baku. There really isn't a corner in Baku that is nice from a driver's point of view. But if it has a very long straight and creates a good spectacle. Everybody loves Baku. That's what we're looking for.

"Obviously, just because it's in Madrid, it's going to have a bit more character, but there's got to be overtaking.”

F1 has been criticised by some quarters for introducing ‘stale’ street circuits around the world, especially with the series gradually moving away from its heartland in Europe and expanding into new territories.

This has had an adverse effect elsewhere on the calendar, with Imola being dropped from next year’s calendar and Zandvoort revealing that it will host an F1 race for the final time in 2026.

Even Barcelona’s future in F1 is uncertain, with the circuit’s current contract expiring after 2026.

However, Sainz is aware that adding more lucrative races to the calendar is part of the business of F1, explaining: "I have nothing against having new circuits and new venues, as long as the circuits have character and have personality.”

He added: “As far as Europe is concerned, this is a business. You either adapt and create events up to modern standards, which I'm not saying F1 circuits in Europe can't create, but I also understand Stefano [Domenicali]'s point of view about wanting to keep growing the business and make sure you create races that are up to the most modern F1 standards, like Mexico, the Miami, etc."