Crash-fest F3 test highlights potential Madrid F1 track danger zones with 19 red flags

Formula 3 drivers took part in the first official sessions at the Madring ahead of the venue's Formula 1 debut, but 19 red flag interruptions served to highlight some potential areas of trouble when the paddock arrives in earnest in September. 

Following a filming day for Ferrari at the Madring, the F3 field was the first to complete any flat-out running at F1's newest track, but the two-day test was anything but smooth sailing, with 10 different drivers finding the walls. 

On day one, five red flags were shown for barrier contact, with Christian Ho, Fernando Barrichello, Jin Nakamura, Gladysz, and Freddie Slater the drivers in strife.

Turn 17 seemed to be a particular point of interest here, with two incidents at the corner. This is where the track begins a 'staircase' section of 90-degree corners before returning to the main straight. The corner entry and exit are both closely lined by walls, with the exit also going through a tunnel. While the mid-corner runoff may tempt drivers into pushing braking that little bit further, there is already mounting evidence to suggest that is not the wisest of ideas. 

Turns five and six also caused a pair of red flags. This is where the track follows a roundabout in a tight left-right-left chicane. As per the onboard video shared previously by Ferrari, the kerbs are particularly aggressive at this point of the track. The section most closely resembles the former Singapore Sling chicane that was removed from the Singapore Grand Prix layout. 

In a race scenario, it is possible that drivers could look to lunge into the first part of the complex, but given the high-risk element of the corner - and the fact that rivals would likely take to the inside runoff and claim that they were avoiding an incident - it is more likely that this area would only pose a problem when pushing at ten tenths in a timed session. 

Turn seven was the other to catch out three drivers. The corner comes on a blind crest, with drivers needing to swing left on entry to open up the right-hander. There is an aggressive wall on the corner exit before the track sweeps left again, which could prove to be an issue in all sessions.

Other corners that claimed a single driver each were turns three, 10, 11 and 14, all of which were likely the result of low grip conditions.

F1 will visit Madrid for the first time between September 11-13, with Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso hoping to put on a show for their home fans in Spain's second weekend of the season - the championship having raced in Barcelona earlier this year as Lewis Hamilton scored his first Ferrari victory.