# Verstappen: nowhere to pass in Madrid

> Formula One's newest circuit looks great and races badly, and the man starting third has already done the maths.
- Title: Verstappen: nowhere to pass in Madrid · Malay Mail | Shortify
- Summary: Formula One's newest circuit looks great and races badly, and the man starting third has already done the maths. On a track with no overtaking spots, the…
- Keywords: formula 1, verstappen, spanish gp, madring, tyre strategy, news, world, nowhere, pass, Madrid, Malay Mail
- Source: Malay Mail — https://malaymail.com/news/sports/2026/09/13/no-corners-to-pass-on-verstappens-warning-for-spanish-gp/234993
- Published: 2026-09-13T10:07:05+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: formula 1, verstappen, spanish gp, madring, tyre strategy, news, world
## Almost impossible to overtake
Max Verstappen says passing on the new hybrid Madring circuit will be close to impossible in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix. He starts third and expects to stay stuck there.

> There are no corners where you can pass
## He likes it anyway
Verstappen openly dislikes street tracks, but praised the venue built near Madrid's main airport. The event and the build quality impressed him, the racing layout did not.

> Overall, the event itself is very cool. They've done a great job.
## Norris takes pole
World champion Lando Norris put the McLaren on pole ahead of Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli. Verstappen qualified third for Red Bull on Saturday.
## Antonelli leads by 66
Antonelli is the championship leader, 66 points clear of his own Mercedes team-mate George Russell. Front row in Madrid is a useful place to extend that.
## Change a few corners
Verstappen's fix is structural, not tactical. He thinks a handful of corners need reworking before this circuit produces real racing.

> if you want to have better racing, overtaking, I think there can be a few corners that can be changed
## Tyre wear is the only lever
With no passing spots, Verstappen says he has to hope rivals burn through their tyres. Long runs in practice were brutal on deg for everyone.

> you need to rely on people 'degging' very aggressively
## Two stops or three
Antonelli agreed, and added a bigger unknown: nobody has a read on how the hard tyre holds up. Verstappen also flagged asphalt that is already bumpy for a new track.

> We don't really know how the hard tyre is, how resilient it is
## Key takeaway

On a track with no overtaking spots, the Spanish GP will be decided by tyre wear and pit strategy, not wheel to wheel racing.