Is Madrid Already F1's Worst Track? | 2026 Spanish GP Review

Four overtakes. Fewer than Monaco. And F1 has signed a ten-year deal to come back. Tom and Chris review the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix from Madrid's new Madring circuit and ask whether any amount of corner reprofiling can save it.

In this episode: Antonelli cashes in on another virtual safety car to win and stretch his lead to 81 points; Norris is fastest all day and finishes third; Verstappen is ordered to hand a place back to Hamilton; and Hamilton ends up touring the circuit with no brakes. Plus the argument for closing the pit lane under a VSC, Lawson's likely last outing in the Red Bull, Sainz's miserable home weekend, and a Coca-Cola can causing more fuss than the race did.

CHAPTERS
0:00 - Intro
1:14 - Madrid: an industrial estate with a banked corner attached
2:34 - Four overtakes and a ten-year deal
6:11 - A blank slate, wasted
9:00 - Track limit issues
11:20 - What we'd change
14:07 - Antonelli wins again on virtual safety car luck
15:05 - Verstappen v Hamilton and the order to hand it back
19:29 - Norris: fastest all day, third by VSC
20:37 - Should a VSC close the pit lane?
24:59 - McLaren's share of the blame
26:38 - Ferrari: Hamilton's brakes, Leclerc's long game
28:21 - Russell hung out to dry on a two-stop
30:49 - Piastri's wing, Lawson and the Red Bull seat
32:32 - Colapinto scores as Alpine close on Racing Bulls
34:43 - Sainz's home nightmare
36:33 - Ocon's best since Monaco
37:26 - Driver of the Day
39:54 - Move of the Day
41:09 - WTF of the Day: no brakes, no spin, no Coca-Cola
47:44 - Predictions league and fantasy results
50:59 - A week off, then Baku

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Back of the Grid is a weekly Formula 1 podcast by fans, for fans. Tom and Chris breaking down every race weekend without the paddock access or the party line.

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