Max Verstappen has warned that it is difficult to predict Red Bull’s competitiveness at the 2026 Madrid Grand Prix, with Formula 1 preparing to race at the new Madring circuit for the first time. The four-time World Champion expects the street circuit’s numerous tricky corners and initially unknown grip levels to make Friday practice especially important for every team and driver.
Formula 1 is preparing for its debut on Madrid’s street circuit, one of the biggest additions to the 2026 Formula 1 calendar. The new venue will put both drivers and teams to the test, with considerable interest surrounding how the current generation of cars will perform around Madring.
Red Bull will field Max Verstappen alongside Liam Lawson, who will once again substitute for the injured Isack Hadjar as the Frenchman continues his recovery.
Max Verstappen refuses to predict Red Bull’s Madrid GP performance
“At Monza we achieved a very good result and really maximised our potential by getting on the podium,” Max Verstappen said. “Looking ahead to Madrid, it’s difficult to predict how we will perform. It looks like a challenging circuit to drive, like most street circuits, especially because there are so many tricky corners.”
The Red Bull driver believes one of the first tasks on Friday will be establishing how much grip the new track surface provides before the team can begin refining the RB22.
“We will also need to assess the grip level when we go out on track on Friday and then build from there. The practice sessions will be important to gather as much information as possible before qualifying. That said, it is a new circuit for everyone and hopefully we can start on the right foot.”
Max Verstappen arrives in Madrid after finishing third at Monza, where Red Bull was unable to match Mercedes but still secured a useful podium. The RB22’s competitiveness has varied considerably with circuit characteristics this season, with Red Bull’s weaknesses becoming particularly visible at certain types of track.
Liam Lawson prepares for first Madrid laps after simulator work
Liam Lawson is also expecting Formula 1’s first Madrid weekend to provide plenty of unknowns. So far, the New Zealander’s preparation has been limited to simulator running, meaning the opening practice session will offer the first real indication of how closely those preparations match the actual circuit.
“Madrid will be an interesting weekend for everyone,” Liam Lawson said. “So far we have only driven the circuit in the simulator, so the first practice session will tell us a lot about where we really are.”
One feature in particular has caught Liam Lawson’s attention.
“It’s a unique circuit and the banked corner should make things interesting.”
Liam Lawson takes confidence from Red Bull’s Monza progress
Liam Lawson’s Italian Grand Prix weekend was complicated from the outset by a power-unit change, which left him with a difficult task at Monza and prevented him from fully demonstrating Red Bull’s potential.
“Monza was a challenging weekend from the beginning, with the engine change putting us in a difficult position, so it was hard to fully show what we were capable of,” Liam Lawson explained.
There were nevertheless encouraging signs as the weekend progressed, particularly as Liam Lawson became more comfortable with the car and Red Bull found additional performance.
“The positive thing is that we found some good pace as the weekend went on, which gives us confidence heading into Madrid.”
For Red Bull, the Madrid Grand Prix therefore represents another significant test of the RB22 after a Monza weekend in which Max Verstappen secured third place. With no previous Formula 1 data from the new circuit, Friday practice will be crucial as Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson attempt to understand Madring’s grip levels, demanding corners and unusual characteristics before qualifying.
