2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg has mentioned “we have to blame” Carlos Sainz over the shortage of overtaking alternatives on the Spanish GP. Pointing to Sainz’s position because the ambassador for the all-new Madring, Rosberg has known as for instant revisions to the circuit.
As many had predicted coming into the Spanish GP weekend, overtaking on the Madring proved to be just about not possible all through the 57-lap race, going down on a slender semi-street circuit surrounding Madrid’s IFEMA convention centre and Actual Madrid’s Valdebebas coaching facility.
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Following Kimi Antonelli’seighth win of the 2026 season within the Spanish capital, a number of drivers have criticised the spectacle created by the Madring – with Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto saying he “nearly fell asleep” in the course of the motion, whereas Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad admitted it “wasn’t essentially the most thrilling race.”
Rosberg blames ambassador Sainz over Madring overtaking points
Picture: Race Photos
Former Mercedes driver Rosberg clearly agrees, however has opted to take purpose on the observe’s ambassador, Williams’ Sainz, when requested throughout punditry on Sky F1 why design a observe the place overtaking has proved to be so troublesome.
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“Carlos Sainz was the ambassador, so we have to criticise Carlos Sainz,” Rosberg replied. “They should revisit the observe structure for subsequent yr and create one good overtaking alternative. We want that on this observe as a result of it is simply too onerous to overhaul.”
The 41-year-old then regarded to Oscar Piastri’s struggles in overtaking Alpine’s Franco Colapinto in the course of the Madrid race. Regardless of having placed on a brand new set of tyres behind the Argentine, Piastri stayed behind Colapinto and completed a disappointing P8.
Rosberg added: “It was fairly surprising. Piastri on Colapinto, for instance. Piastri had contemporary tyres, he couldn’t get previous. And he was a lot faster. It is simply tremendous onerous to overhaul.”
Former head of technique at Aston Martin, Bernie Collins, agreed on a necessity to alter the Madring structure, arguing drivers must be consulted on observe design even when it was apparent to most that overtaking alternatives can be restricted on the Spanish GP.
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“If you get the circuit all designed, you must go to them and ask the questions,” Collins mentioned. “However I do not assume it essentially wanted a driver to say that at this stage, did it? All of us bought right here, all of us regarded on the observe and mentioned, ‘That is going to be very troublesome for overtaking.’
“So I feel that there ought to have been one thing performed to do this. Now they’ve been very open to say they’ll make adjustments going ahead. They’re blissful to make adjustments going ahead. That is not a everlasting observe. So a type of adjustments, I might hope, is that they are going to make some variations in overtaking if they will.”
