The new Madring circuit has already produced its first major accidents, with Formula 2 driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak escaping unhurt from a violent crash that left the rear of his car on fire during Friday practice in Madrid. The incident provided an early demonstration of just how demanding the new Spanish Grand Prix venue can be, following warnings from Formula 1 drivers about crashes and red flags at the Madring.
The most spectacular accident so far involved Thai driver Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak, who is contesting his first full Formula 2 season. The ART Grand Prix driver lost control of his car in the third sector of the circuit, which hosts the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix from this season, and hit the Tec-Pro barriers on the outside of Turn 19 at high speed with the rear of the car.
Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak escapes heavy Madring F2 crash
The impact during the opening Formula 2 practice session of the Madrid weekend was extremely violent. The crash appears to have affected the fuel-tank area, with a significant fire breaking out almost immediately around the rear of the car.
Inthraphuvasak quickly climbed out to avoid more serious consequences. It then took at least a minute to extinguish the flames, while the car remained wedged in the barriers following the impact.
The recovery operation also took considerable time. Marshals needed several minutes to load the damaged car onto a recovery vehicle and clean the track. The accident occurred in a high-speed section where there was no substantial run-off area and no crane available to lift the car directly beyond the barriers.
The Formula 2 session was stopped with around 30 minutes remaining before the chequered flag.
Madring already produces crashes in F2 and F3
Inthraphuvasak’s accident was not the first of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. Earlier in the morning, during Formula 3 practice, Italian driver Nicola Lacorte also hit the barriers. His incident occurred at Turn 9 and was considerably less dramatic, but it still triggered the first red flag of the weekend.
The early running in Formula 2 and Formula 3 therefore suggests that the Madring is proving particularly slippery and unforgiving. The new circuit combines sections where barriers sit close to the racing line with limited room for mistakes, while teams and drivers are still discovering an unfamiliar track surface. The challenge is not limited to avoiding the walls either, with Madrid’s braking and energy-recovery demands adding another layer to the learning process.
Pierre Gasly’s Madring warning already looks significant
The incidents add weight to concerns expressed by several Formula 1 drivers during Thursday’s media sessions. Pierre Gasly had already highlighted how difficult the circuit felt during simulator preparation, revealing that he had “hit every wall” while practising the Madring virtually.
With Formula 2 and Formula 3 already producing red flags and barrier impacts before Formula 1 begins pushing at full speed, Madrid’s new circuit is giving an early indication of the risks drivers will have to manage throughout the weekend. The encouraging news from the most serious incident is that Tasanapol Inthraphuvasak was able to get out of the car immediately and escaped the crash without injury.
Leave a Reply