Madring Prepares for First Formula 1 Qualifying as Teams Finalise Setups
A narrow, heavily banked layout forces teams to prioritise stability over outright speed, raising the prospect that setup choices will shape the grid and safety decisions.
Overview
- Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli led Friday running with a 1:33.662 in FP2, 0.113 seconds clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc while Lewis Hamilton set the third-fastest time.
- Free Practice 3 is ongoing Saturday morning and qualifying will begin after FP3 at 4:00 p.m. local time, with teams using the session to lock in suspension, aero and tyre choices for a circuit with few passing opportunities.
- Friday’s FP2 was stopped by a red flag after Arvid Lindblad crashed at Turn 13, and earlier junior-category incidents have increased scrutiny of narrow walls and limited runoff around the circuit.
- Madring combines public roads and purpose-built sections over 5.414 km with 22 corners, two DRS zones and the banked ‘La Monumental’ ramp that reaches steep banking and alters high-speed car balance.
- Broadcast and streaming partners confirmed include FanCode in India, DAZN in Spain and Apple TV in the USA, and the weekend’s competitive order suggests qualifying will be decisive because the track limits race-day overtaking.