September 14, 2026
Kimi Antonelli won Madrid’s inaugural Grand Prix after a virtual safety car pitstop timing swing, while Lando Norris and McLaren questioned whether the VSC rules fairly decided the result.
Drivers left Madrid unimpressed after a flat first Grand Prix, with criticism focused on difficult overtaking, limited race variation and whether the Madring needs changes to justify a long-term F1 future.
Lando Norris says Formula 1’s virtual safety car rules are unfair after Madrid, arguing that race-control timing can turn a likely win into a lottery and should be changed.
Antonelli won at the Madring, but the debut race mostly produced frustration: McLaren lost a likely victory on VSC timing, Hamilton sounded beaten down, and the weekend offered more warning signs than breakthrough moments.
