No matter how it ends, history is definitely being made today with the first F1 Grand Prix at the Madring in Madrid. The main question is who will be the first winner on this new track. There is no shortage of contenders. And probably no shortage of excitement either. These are things to watch out for.
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Not Antonelli, but Norris the favorite?
Like a devil out of a box, Lando Norris grabbed pole position on Saturday. Can the reigning world champion turn that privilege into a win on Sunday afternoon? Kimi Antonelli is a major rival based on the car, speed, and confidence. But favorite? That might still be Norris, now that he has shown what McLaren and he are capable of.
Three poles in four races; that says something. And Norris already converted those in Budapest and Zandvoort into wins. A victory at the Madring would be the next crowning achievement for good form.
So many teams, so many chances
There is no one team standing out on the new Madring. That is also the beauty of a new circuit where no one can boast past experience. No wonder then that drivers from McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull all made a good impression in Madrid. Even a rookie like Arvid Lindblad feels like a fish in water on the circuit, so surprises are not excluded. Predicting is therefore harder than ever. That already makes the anticipation fun!
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Chaos or no chaos?
Formula 1 has not yet raced at the Madring this weekend, but Formula 2 and Formula 3 have already shown that the new track can mercilessly punish mistakes.
Sometimes there was chaos, sometimes not; one session or support race was not like the other. In Formula 1, several drivers also hit the wall, went off track, or made steering errors. With everything at stake during the race, it is very conceivable that there will be red flags and safety car periods. That can have a major impact on the course of the race.
All in all, the first Spanish GP at the Madring in Madrid may well be decided by the timing of pit stops and a bit of luck at the right moment.
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Read everything about the Spanish GP here
