James Vowles endorses Madrid as a team to keep an eye on, even amid demands for modifications.
Williams team principal James Vowles has expressed confidence that Madrid will emerge as one of Formula 1's premier events, despite a challenging debut for the Spanish Grand Prix at the new circuit.
F1 made its way to the recently opened Madring circuit last weekend. While inaugural street races often encounter logistical hurdles, Vowles commended the event's organizers.
"First and foremost, hats off to the organizers," the Williams team leader remarked during the latest episode of The Vowles Verdict. "It's the inaugural year of the grand prix, and typically that means the event can be somewhat chaotic, but that was not the case in Madrid."
"In fact, I would argue that this could be one of the races to keep an eye on in the future. Just half an hour from the city center, a capital city, and only about 10 minutes by metro."
"There’s a vast amount of space—likely ten times what we usually have—which has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is accommodating more fans; the downside is the considerable distance one has to walk between the two arenas and to the cars."
However, the race attracted some criticism as well. The circuit was criticized for its limited overtaking chances, leading many to suggest that modifications are necessary by 2027 to enhance the excitement of the racing.
"Regarding the track itself, as you observed, it was very technical, and the drivers all noted that it presented a challenging yet enjoyable experience for them," Vowles added.
"However, the racing did suffer somewhat, and I’m certain the circuit organizers will be exploring ways to improve that for next year.
Carlos Sainz, Williams
"For us, it was a challenging grand prix, and we anticipated it would be tough. It simply highlighted the issues we are currently facing, and we haven't made performance gains on the car for quite some time, which has caused us to fall behind relative to other teams."
"If I focus on the specifics regarding the softer compounds, both the soft and medium tyres experienced graining, where the tyre significantly loses performance with each lap. This was evident during long runs, but not during qualifying.
"On the other hand, the hard tyre was one that, as you saw with several cars, could be utilized nearly throughout the entire race. It was right on the edge, but just barely on the favorable side. This indicates that Pirelli did an excellent job selecting the appropriate tyres for the event.
"It also shows that the circuit's tarmac was in good condition as well. As I mentioned, the primary challenge remains: let’s investigate how we can facilitate more overtaking in the coming years. Other than that, congratulations on a fantastic first race."
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