"Faster than it looks" - Carlos Sainz's first impressions of Madring F1 circuit

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Williams Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz has completed a first lap of the Spanish Grand Prix's Madring circuit as the venue gets ready to host grand prix racing in September.

The Madring circuit, close to the Spanish capital's Barajas airport, is still under construction as works progress to reach its various deadlines, including an FIA inspection at the end of the month.

But with the tarmac in place at the IFEMA fairgrounds, event ambassador Sainz has completed the first lap of F1's newest grand prix circuit in a 450bhp Ford Mustang GT.

The Spaniard's overarching verdict of the 5.4km, 22-turn circuit is that it's faster than it looks, chiefly thanks to the purpose-built high-speed corners that mark the second part of the lap.

Approaching the Turn 1-2 chicane, Sainz identifies a clear "overtaking spot". But with the chicane followed by a longer straight into the Turn 5-6 chicane, the Williams driver has already acknowledged how "very strategic" use of the battery will play a role.

As the track shifts from public roads to the purpose-built section from Turn 9 onward, Sainz felt the Madring really comes alive with much faster corners "where we’ll enjoy a Formula 1 car at its absolute best".

The circuit's crown jewel is the bullring shaped banking at Turn 12 dubbed "La Monumental", which because of its 24% gradient should still be flat out.

“We’ll go in flat out, though we might lift off a bit in the middle to get the front end to grip," Sainz predicted. “This is what impressed me the most. I thought La Monumental would just have banking, but suddenly it’s not only banked - it’s also blind. You’ve created quite a cocktail.”

Hurtling out of the half-oval into Turn 13, Sainz expects the tight left-hander to be another overtaking opportunity, before a series of high-speed Valdebebas esses, which remind Sainz "of Spa and Silverstone", leads the circuit back to the IFEMA fairground complex.

After passing under the motorway, a very tight 117-degree left-hander makes drivers navigate an outside wall with "that could take us all by surprise" at Turn 20, with the circuit then turning back on itself onto the start-finish straight.