Bortoleto: Madring race so dull 'I almost fell asleep'

Gabriel Bortoleto didn't hold back after the Spanish Grand Prix: Madrid's new Madring circuit was so short on action that he nearly dozed off inside his Audi R26. The Brazilian was one of many drivers trapped in a processional race that confirmed the venue's biggest weakness.

Why it matters:

F1 sold Madrid as a spectacular addition to the calendar, but a Sunday with almost no overtaking undermines that promise. For Bortoleto, the outcome was effectively sealed by a virtual safety car rather than any on-track battle.

The details:

• Bortoleto and Pierre Gasly were among those on the hard compound when the VSC arrived, costing them roughly 11 seconds and any chance of a free stop.
• They spent the rest of the race waiting for another neutralisation that never came. 'Me and Pierre were both waiting for a red flag, maybe, to get lucky on our side and change tyres, but it didn't happen.'
• Earlier in the weekend, F3 and F2 had already shown how difficult passing would be at the Madring.
• Bortoleto was diplomatic about the track's character but blunt about its racing: 'It would be nice if we had at least one place to overtake... the racing side of it is terrible.'
• The layout's banked Turn 12 and street-circuit aesthetic appear to have taken priority over creating genuine overtaking zones.

The big picture:

Madrid may look the part, but the sport's newest venue has yet to race like one. Bortoleto suggested future tracks should be designed with driver input, since overtaking problems are predictable before the first lap. Until that changes, more afternoons like this could be in store.