Carlos Sainz backs new Madrid F1 track: 'Best circuit in the world'

Carlos Sainz has claimed the Madrid F1 track could be the best circuit on the race calendar ahead of its debut next year.

The track layout of the Madring Circuit was unveiled earlier this week, with Madrid native Sainz in attendance to launch the circuit.

Construction has now begun on the 5.4-kilometre, 22-turn track with Sainz serving as an ambassador of the event.

Madrid is the latest street track to be added to the schedule in recent years, following the additions of Jeddah, Miami and Las Vegas.

As it looks to impose its own personality on the F1 calendar, Sainz has backed Madrid to outshine other locations in terms of the overall event as well as the on-track spectacle.

“Everything that will be around it, all the concerts and all the activations will help the city a lot,” he said, as quoted by motorsport.com. 

“I think we can have the best circuit in the world and the best event of the whole calendar.

“There are going to be 24 races, and Mexico, Miami and Las Vegas are doing very well, but I sincerely believe that Madrid can beat them, and we are going to go for it.”

Carlos Sainz told F1 drivers 'not to worry' over circuit layout

Madrid is set to have a long-term presence on the F1 schedule after penning a 10-year deal with the sport last year.

Sainz revealed he informed other F1 drivers “not to worry” about the layout as he is ensuring it contains similar elements that make other street tracks stand out.

"The drivers have asked me about the circuit, the corners, the layout... I've told them not to worry, that I'm going to try to help as much as possible to make the circuit a good show," Sainz said.

"What I ask of an F1 circuit as a driver is that it has charisma and character, that it has a lot of corners that make it different. 

“There are circuits like Baku, which has no major corners beyond the castle section, but it has character, because it's very long straights, there's a lot of overtaking, it's spectacular.

"There is Jeddah, which is all fast corners and also spectacular. They're all urban circuits, but they've managed to have character. 

“And what I ask of Madring and what we are achieving is that it has that character between being a hybrid circuit, with an urban area with the walls very close and then that more open part, more like a traditional European circuit, which is what we drivers like the most.

"The final part, the banked corners and fast corner sequences... it's more what we like and what we see at the traditional European circuits. And this circuit has both, it has the open area and the more closed area of the walls."