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.

CHAPTERS0:00 - Intro1:14 - Madrid: an industrial estate with a banked corner attached2:34 - Four overtakes and a ten-year deal6:11 - A blank slate, wasted9:00 - Track limit issues11:20 - What we'd change14:07 - Antonelli wins again on virtual safety car luck15:05 - Verstappen v Hamilton and the order to hand it back19:29 - Norris: fastest all day, third by VSC20:37 - Should a VSC close the pit lane?24:59 - McLaren's share of the blame26:38 - Ferrari: Hamilton's brakes, Leclerc's long game28:21 - Russell hung out to dry on a two-stop30:49 - Piastri's wing, Lawson and the Red Bull seat32:32 - Colapinto scores as Alpine close on Racing Bulls34:43 - Sainz's home nightmare36:33 - Ocon's best since Monaco37:26 - Driver of the Day39:54 - Move of the Day41:09 - WTF of the Day: no brakes, no spin, no Coca-Cola47:44 - Predictions league and fantasy results50:59 - 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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