Madrid tipped to host chaotic F1 weekend: 'Put my money on a red flag'

Pierre Gasly has stated he would “put my money” on a red flag to make an appearance at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

The event has moved to Madrid, with the Madring Circuit hosting an F1 race event for the first time.

The track is set to pose a significant challenge for the drivers due to its narrow layout and the high-speed corners scattered throughout.

At a recent Formula 3 test at the venue, 19 red flags were deployed across two days - 11 of which were due to collisions with the walls.

Gasly, who enters the weekend having secured pole position last time out at the Italian Grand Prix, is not escaping the drivers to escape unscathed.

“I'll put my money on the red flag, that's for sure,” Gasly told media including RacingNews365. 

“Driving-wise in the sim it was very enjoyable and very exciting. I got a good read and feel of pretty much every single wall at every single corner, so actually I know what to do and what not to do. 

“But it's going to be very challenging, especially in terms of evolution. Probably a lot of track evolution, slightly awkward braking zones, which are not fully straight - snaky, very twisty-type corners.

“Many corners, a lot of blind [corners], banking, up-and-down, undulation all the way. 

“So I expect a very tricky track, challenging for us, which makes it good because you can always aim to do a bit more difference driving-wise.”

Gasly likened the challenge of the track to Monaco, where a very minor mistake can quickly end a driver's session.

“But again, it's a type of track like Monaco, where I think if you make a slight mistake, [it is a] big consequence straight away,” he said.

“It's exciting. At the same time, I think it's going to be quite a disruptive weekend from how easy it will be to have a crash.”