Juan Pablo Montoya expects Formula 1 championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli to deliver another strong performance at the Madrid Grand Prix, but the former F1 driver also believes Charles Leclerc could respond after Ferrari’s difficult Monza weekend. According to Montoya, the Monegasque driver’s affinity with street circuits could make him one of the drivers to watch at the new Madring venue.
Formula 1 is preparing to race on the Madrid circuit for the first time, a layout Carlos Sainz has described as combining characteristics of Baku, Jeddah and Singapore. The first indications of the competitive order will arrive during Friday practice, although rapid track evolution and the time required for teams and drivers to adapt mean firm conclusions are unlikely before the final laps of Q3. The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix schedule therefore begins an especially important learning process for the entire grid.
Juan Pablo Montoya tips Kimi Antonelli to shine in Madrid
Montoya nevertheless expects an impressive showing from Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who arrives in Madrid leading the World Championship. At the same time, the Colombian believes Charles Leclerc could quickly bounce back if he can exploit the skills that have traditionally made him particularly effective on street circuits.
“I think Andrea Kimi Antonelli will shine in Madrid,” Juan Pablo Montoya told BetBrothers. “If Charles Leclerc can bring his Monaco driving style here, he could do a really great job, as long as he doesn’t crash.”
Madrid’s characteristics could therefore offer Charles Leclerc an opportunity to respond on a circuit very different from Monza. Ferrari’s competitiveness on the new layout remains one of the major questions of the weekend, particularly because the SF-26 will be tested across a much wider variety of corners than at the Italian Grand Prix. The circuit characteristics have already raised the possibility that Ferrari’s SF-26 could be better suited to the Madring than Monza.
Ferrari ADUO-2 power unit faces a different Madrid test
The Spanish Grand Prix will be the second race in which Ferrari competes with the ADUO-2 power unit specification. Madrid could provide a clearer picture of its potential because the circuit does not place the same overwhelming emphasis on engine performance as Monza, giving the Scuderia the chance to evaluate the latest specification in a more varied environment.
Ferrari’s power unit development has been a key technical focus, with the team working through the season to extract more performance while respecting the constraints surrounding the 2026 project. The broader context behind the Ferrari ADUO power unit development programme will make the Madrid weekend particularly interesting from a technical perspective.
Montoya, however, remains uncertain about exactly how representative Ferrari’s strong pace during practice at Monza really was.
“I don’t know if Ferrari was using too much power in free practice in Italy and therefore looked so competitive, or whether it was testing the new engine to see how it behaved with more power,” Juan Pablo Montoya added. “I think Red Bull has a really powerful engine, but evidently the RB22 has more drag than Mercedes.”
Charles Leclerc has a chance to respond on a street-style circuit
For Charles Leclerc, Madrid therefore represents an opportunity to put the Italian Grand Prix behind him and make the most of a circuit whose characteristics may better reward his street-circuit strengths. The challenge will be complicated by the lack of previous competitive running at the Madring and by a track surface expected to evolve considerably throughout the weekend.
Montoya’s prediction places both Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc among the drivers worth watching as Formula 1 begins its first competitive laps in Madrid. With teams still learning the circuit and Ferrari assessing its latest power unit on a less specialised layout, the true competitive order may not become clear until qualifying reaches its decisive final moments.
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