Charles Leclerc discloses knowledge of new F1 track

Ferrari's filming day at the Madring in July has given the Scuderia a head start on the rest of the F1 paddock, and Charles Leclerc has now shared his first impressions of the circuit that will host the Spanish Grand Prix in September.

The nine-time grand prix winner, alongside Lewis Hamilton, completed laps of the 5.416km quasi-street circuit built around Madrid's IFEMA exhibition complex.

Ferrari covered the full 200km allowed under FIA filming-day regulations, running the SF-26 on Pirelli demonstration tyres on 9 July, while the venue remained very much a construction site.

"I did some laps behind a Stelvio, or whatever that car was," Leclerc told media, including RacingNews365.

"Obviously, it was in the middle of the works. There was still so much work, and there was so much dirt on the track.

"But it looks like a cool track, and I love city tracks. It felt like a very challenging city track, which has all the characteristics that I like. So I cannot wait to try it properly once we go there for the race weekend."

La Monumental leaves its mark

The 22-corner layout features tunnels, significant elevation changes and, most notably, La Monumental, a sweeping, 547-metre right-hander banked at 24%, the maximum gradient the FIA permits.

It is set to become the longest single banked corner on the current calendar, with drivers expected to endure around 4G for approximately six seconds through the turn.

When asked whether La Monumental has the soul to become a truly iconic corner in Formula 1, in the mould of Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps or Maggotts and Becketts at Silverstone, Leclerc was emphatic.

"It's a very, very special corner," he said. "It's a corner where I feel, in qualifying, we'll have to, I'll say it in a polite way, but we'll have to be very brave because it's going to be on the limit.

"So that's going to be really cool. I think it's going to be a really cool corner. And, yes, I do believe it can become one of the most iconic corners of the season, especially once the grandstand is built. I think that will also add to the experience of that corner."

Comparisons with Zandvoort's banked final corner were quickly drawn, but Leclerc noted key differences. "The final corner at Zandvoort is actually flat out," he explained. "Maybe Turn 3 at Zandvoort, which is really cool as well. It's slower, though.

"But at Madring, it doesn't look flat as of now, at least. I was very, very far from being flat during testing, mostly because of the dust that was on the track."

On whether the layout suits his driving style, the Monégasque driver was direct. "I like city tracks in general, so I have little doubt that I'll love Madring," he added. "Whether it will fit me or not, I don't really know.

"But one thing for sure is that you will have to go full commitment, and this I always enjoy on city tracks."