Max Verstappen takes incident-filled first Madrid F1 lap

Max Verstappen has taken his first lap of the Madring and provided commentary on the crash-filled encounter with the all-new Spanish Grand Prix venue.

The Madring takes over as the host of the Spanish Grand Prix this year, with the earlier Barcelona weekend having been officially titled the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

The new track is expected to see more than a few red flag and safety car interruptions, after a recent F3 test saw 19 red flag periods across two days. Even accounting for the fact that these were junior drivers, that is still an astonishing total. 

Williams boss James Vowles has already described the track as a "car killer", with the close walls and high speeds in certain sections a particular concern on a layout that has been likened to a combination of Monaco and Jeddah. 

To complete his first lap, Verstappen took to a game console, and crucially used a pad rather than a wheel. Judging by the footage, there was not a wall or ru-off area that the four-time champion failed to test.

In the video released by Red Bull, Verstappen concludes, "If I had done one more lap, it would have been fine. Challenging. I've hit so many barriers, it's unbelievable.

"I think on a wheel, it would have been a bit more under control. I hope so." 

These comments came after multiple cries of "whoa!", "no, no, no, no, no!", and other variations upon this theme.

Although street tracks have not seen Verstappen's best results this term, he was able to score his first podium of the year at the Canadian Grand Prix, on a track that is possibly the most similar to the Madring, with a blend of high-speed sections mixed with those that are tighter and more technical.

However, if top speed proves to be a decisive factor, then the Spanish weekend could prove to be another tough one for both he and team-mate Liam Lawson, who once again stands in for the injured Isack Hadjar.