Hurray!! Another street track. Madrid in 2026

[erwin greven]

[Aty]

Not easy topography for overtaking (current car specs).

[MonteCristo]

Remember when Barcelona and Hungaroring were the hated tracks on the calendar, on account of them being shit?

I miss those days.

[Michael Ferner]

For a moment there I was in disbelief... Barcelona??? Then I sussed it, Hungaroring is one of the longest running tracks in F1 these days, and contemporary with Montmelo, not Montjuich!

[Michael Ferner]

Not easy topography for overtaking (current car specs).

Who needs overtaking anyway, they have pit stops and DRS.

[Aty]

Not easy topography for overtaking (current car specs).

Who needs overtaking anyway, they have pit stops and DRS.

I think DRS will be of very little help on this track. Sections where a following car can get into DRS zone seems too short for deployment, overtaking, and electing best entry into next turn. Max can prove me wrong, but I just don't see it at the moment. That leaves pitstops, tires, and SC. Very exciting proposition.

[XcraigX]

The problem is that we have a very high ranking for the track at Monaco. Every city wants to be the next Monaco.
Even Baku and Singapore have turned out to be decent. So we now start to get a rinse and repeat formula and investors are behind it.
It's way cheaper than going to the middle of nowwhere and putting up a totaly new track and other infrastructure needed.

COTA seems to be the last real track created specifically for F1. However it's only evenly ranked with Baku at best, but I can imagine the $$$ investment was much, much greater.

The one thing downtown Madrid has going for it is some varied topography. There are hills and narrow streets available, so I am hoping this won't be a dull set of 90 degree left-right-lefts.

[XcraigX]

Someone has already put it into the Simulator:

[Everso Biggyballies]

Someone has already put it into the Simulator:

** Makes mental note of 1:38.512 for GTP when it coms round.**

[rsroy]

COTA seems to be the last real track created specifically for F1. However it's only evenly ranked with Baku at best, but I can imagine the $$$ investment was much, much greater.

I like to think Turkey is the best recent F1 track.

[rsroy]

Forgot to add something on topic. Although I am not a particular fan of the Barcelona circuit, I rather prefer it to another street track. Current F1 cars don't fit on street tracks in my opinion.

[Michael Ferner]

"We have a very high ranking for the track at Monaco", really? Who is that 'we', I wonder. But you're right, not every city track has to be shite, in fact I always had a soft spot for city tracks and really loved Montjuic or Long Beach, for example. Baku is decent, I agree, it just happens to be in a shit country. I don't know about Singapore, all I've seen so far is racing in the dark which looks the same to me no matter which track. And I agree, topography is most important, and that video looks quite interesting, even though it can't even decide which of the two layouts (that are out there atm) it is! But we already have a lap time

[Everso Biggyballies]

"We have a very high ranking for the track at Monaco", really? Who is that 'we', I wonder. But you're right, not every city track has to be shite, in fact I always had a soft spot for city tracks and really loved Montjuic or Long Beach, for example. Baku is decent, I agree, it just happens to be in a shit country. I don't know about Singapore, all I've seen so far is racing in the dark which looks the same to me no matter which track. And I agree, topography is most important, and that video looks quite interesting, even though it can't even decide which of the two layouts (that are out there atm) it is! But we already have a lap time

Im not a fan of street circuis per se but the original F1 street track in Adelaide was quite good. The shortened version they use now for the V8 Supercar racing is ok but not the real deal. Maybe that was just local bias and having a local GP I could go and watch. (900klms each way is local in Aus!)

[Michael Ferner]

Yes, Adelaide was pretty good, too. Actually, most city tracks except Monaco are. I even liked Miami to a degree.

[Everso Biggyballies]

COTA seems to be the last real track created specifically for F1. However it's only evenly ranked with Baku at best, but I can imagine the $$$ investment was much, much greater.

I like to think Turkey is the best recent F1 track.

I would go along with that thought. I used to enjoy Turkey with its elevation changes and of course the neverending T8. Quite sad to see it go and especially given the nature of the recent F1 additions. Good to see it return if only briefly on the 2020/21 Covid affected years of the calendar