Formula 1’s newest track, the Madrid street circuit, recently hosted Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton for a crucial filming day in July. The test offered the first glimpse into the unique characteristics of the 5.4km circuit, which is set to host the Spanish Grand Prix on September 13, marking the event’s return to Madrid after four decades.
Leclerc and Hamilton collectively completed 200km of practice, providing valuable early feedback on a circuit that promises to be one of the most demanding on the calendar. With 22 corners, it boasts more turns than any other track this season, a figure only surpassed by Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Corniche Circuit. However, the standout feature, and arguably the most talked-about element, is the formidable “La Monumental” banked corner.
La monumental: A corner like no other
La Monumental is a 547-metre right-hander, banked at an extreme 24 per cent – the maximum inclination permitted by the FIA. This banking, roughly 13.5 degrees, is made from excavated earth from other areas of the track construction. Drivers are predicted to experience G-forces of around 4G for six seconds in this corner, an intensity comparable to a rocket launch. The corner’s sheer scale and design have already garnered significant attention:
- Length: 550 metres, making it the longest corner on the F1 calendar.
- Height: 10 metres.
- Entry Speed: Potential corner entry speed of 300km/h.
- G-Force: Predicted sustained 4G compression for two seconds at around 250km/h in the middle of the turn.
Adding to the challenge, La Monumental features a blind exit that leads directly into the 90-degree Turn 13. This sequence is designed to test driver bravery and precision.
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Driver impressions and design philosophy
Charles Leclerc was quick to praise the corner’s unique nature after his test run. “It’s a very special corner, it’s a corner where I feel in qualifying we’ll have to be very brave because it’s going to be on the limit,” Leclerc commented. “So that’s going to be really cool, and I do believe it can become one of the most iconic corners of the season, especially once the grandstand is built because I think that will also add to the experience of that corner.”
Fellow F1 driver Carlos Sainz, speaking to The Race, echoed the sentiment regarding the bold design. “They’ve designed probably one of the most unique corners I’ve ever seen in my life. There is this almost 180-degree banked corner that ends up in a change of compression where you don’t see anything, then you go down while at the same time you’re banking. They’ve been pretty bold with the design.”
The circuit’s director general, Luis Garcia Abad, confirmed the challenge of securing FIA approval for the banking, noting it’s “similar to Zandvoort, but longer.” Safety considerations led to the addition of an extra sequence – a Turn 10/11 right-left chicane – placed before La Monumental to reduce entry speeds. Carlos Jimenez, the Madring circuit’s chief operations officer, highlighted the strategic implications, stating, “The interesting point is also that they will recover part of the energy in the batteries in the downhill section between Turns 9 and 11. So it could become an overtaking point.”
While classified as a street circuit, the Madring circuit differentiates itself by incorporating high-speed corners, significant elevation changes, and tunnels, moving beyond the typical street circuit mould. The upcoming Spanish Grand Prix promises a fresh and demanding challenge for the entire F1 grid, with La Monumental poised to be a defining feature of the race weekend.
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