Gasly predicts red flag for chaotic Madrid F1 debut

Pierre Gasly is bracing for a chaotic Spanish Grand Prix as Formula 1 visits the new Madring Circuit in Madrid for the first time. The Alpine driver, who secured pole at Monza last time out, says he would "put my money" on a red flag appearing during the weekend.

Why it matters:

The Madring's narrow layout and high-speed corners leave little margin for error. A recent Formula 3 test at the venue saw 19 red flags across two days — 11 from wall collisions — suggesting F1's debut could be unpredictable and potentially reshape the championship fight.

The details:

• Gasly's prediction: "I'll put my money on the red flag, that's for sure."
• Track characteristics: He described "snaky, very twisty-type corners," awkward braking zones, and "a lot of blind corners, banking, up-and-down, undulation all the way."
• Monaco comparison: "If you make a slight mistake, big consequence straight away."
• Sim experience: "Driving-wise in the sim it was very enjoyable and very exciting. I got a good read and feel of pretty much every single wall."
• Disruption expected: "It's going to be quite a disruptive weekend from how easy it will be to have a crash."

What's next:

Practice begins Friday, with drivers needing to quickly adapt to the demanding layout. Gasly believes the difficulty could create opportunities for those who master the track's nuances, but the risk of red flags looms large over qualifying and the race.