Steiner: Madrid must change layout for 2027 after processional debut

Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has warned that the organisers of the Spanish Grand Prix must urgently change the Madring circuit's layout for 2027, after a processional inaugural race drew widespread criticism.

Why it matters:

The Madrid event, the first of a 10-year contract, produced virtually no overtaking. Steiner says another year like this would be a failure. With drivers and fans already negative, the circuit's future credibility depends on meaningful changes.

The details:

• Kimi Antonelli secured his eighth grand prix victory of 2026, but only after a well-timed virtual safety car — not an on-track pass — to beat Max Verstappen and polesitter Lando Norris.
• Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner acknowledged the negativity but urged patience, comparing Madrid's debut to Las Vegas' first race, which faced disaster talk before becoming an iconic event.
• "If next year Madrid is not sorted out, I would see it as a failure because it's a 10-year contract. It needs to be fixed. There cannot be a second year like this," said the former team chief.
• Steiner noted that some things "work straight away" while others need "fine-tuning," pointing to Vegas' transformation as evidence that early criticism does not necessarily doom an event.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to whether organisers can deliver changes before 2027. Meanwhile, the championship continues: Antonelli leads Mercedes team-mate George Russell by 81 points, with Lewis Hamilton third. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place in Baku from 24-26 September.