Charles Leclerc expects Madrid’s new Madring Formula 1 circuit to provide a demanding challenge, with the Ferrari driver particularly impressed by La Monumental, the spectacular banked corner that he believes will test drivers’ courage in qualifying. Charles Leclerc has already sampled the new venue during Ferrari’s filming day and is eager to discover how the circuit feels once it is fully prepared for its first Grand Prix.
The countdown to the Madrid Grand Prix is already under way, with the new Madring circuit bringing a completely new challenge to the Formula 1 calendar. The 5.416-kilometre layout features 22 corners, combining street-circuit characteristics with one particularly distinctive feature: the banked La Monumental.
Charles Leclerc gives his first impressions of Madring
A Formula 1 car tackled the circuit for the first time during Ferrari’s filming day at Madring in July, when Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton drove the SF-26. It provided both Ferrari drivers with an early opportunity to experience the new Madrid venue before its competitive debut.
Conditions, however, were far from representative. Construction work was still taking place, there was considerable dust and sand on the racing surface, and several areas around the venue were yet to be completed. Those circumstances inevitably prevented Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton from exploring the limits of the circuit.
Charles Leclerc, who has often shown a particular liking for street circuits, nevertheless came away expecting Madring to provide exactly the type of demanding challenge he enjoys.
“I did a few laps behind a car. Naturally, at the time there was still work going on. There was a huge amount of activity and a lot of sand on the track. It seemed like a really interesting circuit to me, and I love street circuits. It looks very challenging, with all the elements that I like. I can’t wait to drive there during the race weekend,” Charles Leclerc said, as reported by Autosport.
La Monumental could demand courage in qualifying
One section in particular captured Charles Leclerc’s attention. La Monumental is the distinctive banked corner that is expected to become one of Madring’s signature features, and the Ferrari driver believes it could provide an especially demanding test when Formula 1 drivers are pushing for the final fractions of a second in qualifying.
“La Monumental is a really special corner. In qualifying, I think it will test the drivers’ courage quite a lot. You’ll have to drive on the limit. That’s why it will be a really interesting corner,” Charles Leclerc explained.
The Monegasque driver’s positive assessment adds another perspective after Ferrari became the first Formula 1 team to gain direct experience of the venue. Lewis Hamilton also formed his own impressions during the run, including one concern about the new Madring layout.
Charles Leclerc unsure whether La Monumental will be flat-out
One of the biggest questions surrounding La Monumental is just how much commitment drivers will be able to carry through the banked section. Charles Leclerc stressed that his experience during the filming day did not provide a definitive answer because the dusty surface prevented him from approaching the corner at anything close to the limit.
“At Madring, at least for the moment, it doesn’t look possible to take it flat-out. During the test I was very far from doing that. The main reason was the dust on the surface. I don’t know whether it will suit me, though. One thing is certain: we’ll have to attack as hard as possible.”
Ferrari’s early running has therefore offered only a first indication of what Madring could demand when Formula 1 arrives for the race weekend. With the circuit completed and the surface in representative condition, Charles Leclerc will finally be able to discover where the limits really lie — particularly through La Monumental, the corner that has already made the strongest impression on the Ferrari driver.
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