The Madring circuit will debut on the Formula 1 calendar as the venue for Round 14, the Spanish Grand Prix. Tyre supplier Pirelli has confirmed the compound selection for the inaugural weekend at the Madrid venue.
Pirelli Tyre Compounds for the Madrid Grand Prix
Pirelli will allocate the following slick compounds for the event:
- C2 (Hard) – marked white
- C3 (Medium) – marked yellow
- C4 (Soft) – marked red
Drivers will receive two sets of the hard tyre, three sets of the medium, and eight sets of the soft. Intermediate (green) and full wet (blue) tyres will also be available if weather conditions require them. An extra set of soft tyres is reserved for drivers who reach Q3 in qualifying, and all drivers must use at least two different slick compounds during the race, provided the track remains dry.
Circuit Characteristics and Tyre Demands
“The start-finish line and Turn 1 are separated by just 200 metres,” reads Pirelli’s weekend preview. “The first sector is very fast and leads into a second section featuring several medium and low-speed corners, including the banked Turn 12. The final part of the lap also includes a number of 90-degree corners similar to those drivers encounter in Baku.”
Three Years of Preparation and Simulation
“Pirelli’s work to identify the forces that tyres will be subjected to at the Madring began three years ago, when the designers provided the first information on the final layout. Using simulation tools, the trajectories that the cars would follow around the circuit were identified and, consequently, the loads to which the tyres would be exposed were calculated.
Once the circuit had been completed, a group of Pirelli engineers visited the venue to measure the asphalt’s macro and micro roughness, refine the simulations and produce a technical briefing document that was shared with the teams to support their preparation for this new event.”
Energy Demands and the “Monumental” Corner
“From an energy perspective, the Madrid circuit ranks among the five most demanding on the calendar, with lateral forces comparable in intensity to those recorded at Barcelona and Silverstone. The “Monumental” is the corner that generates the highest vertical load of the season, not only because of its banking but also because of its length.
Its configuration will also present a significant challenge in terms of tyre grip. Drivers may adopt different approaches when tackling it, depending on how much they wish to prioritise the opportunity to attack into the following corner.
The asphalt is very smooth and therefore offers a relatively low level of grip. For this reason, it has been treated with high-pressure water jets, as is already done at other circuits, including Singapore, to remove dust and oily residues typically associated with newly laid surfaces.”
With a smooth surface treated for grip and a layout featuring high-energy corners, tyre management is expected to be a decisive factor throughout the Spanish Grand Prix weekend at Madring.
