September 11, 2026
F1 arrives at Madrid’s brand-new Madring with almost no reference points and plenty of caution. The debut circuit is expected to be one of the year’s most complicated challenges, with Friday running set to reveal how difficult it is to master.
Ferrari says the air has been cleared after Monza, but there are no new driver-management rules yet. The question is whether the team has learned enough without overreacting.
Oscar Piastri has rejected sabotage claims after McLaren’s aborted tow attempt in Italian Grand Prix qualifying, as the incident drew scrutiny around the team’s driver dynamic.
George Russell says he has found an answer for why 2026 has been such a struggle, but his post-Monza tone suggests Mercedes’ early-season title-favourite status has given way to a far more complicated reality as Kimi Antonelli leads the way.
Max Verstappen is not talking up a Red Bull rebound in Madrid, instead giving guarded answers that underline how much remains uncertain about the team’s pace and whether a new circuit can hide the car’s weaknesses.
