The inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring has drawn heavy criticism from F1 fans and drivers over the limited overtaking opportunities on the narrow circuit. Its layout reportedly made the race a dull spectacle for many, and now even Spain's Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, has weighed in. Puente didn't hold back, describing the event as "an absolute dud."
Puente has kept his criticism constructive, comparing the Spanish GP with the Monaco GP, which is also known for offering limited overtaking opportunities. Monaco's narrow city streets have become increasingly challenging as F1 cars have grown larger over the decades, while significantly widening the roads is simply not a realistic option.
Despite Monaco's reputation for limited overtaking, this year's race featured 10 overtakes during the entire race, according to a social media post from Autosport. By comparison, the Madrid race last weekend saw just four overtakes.
Spanish Grand Prix, Sunday Madrid: Motorsport: FIA F1 Grand Prix of Spain, Formula 1 2026
on September, 13, 2026, (Photo by Hoch Zwei)
Start
01 NORRIS Lando (gbr), McLaren F1 Team MCL40, action
12 KIMI ANTONELLI Andrea (ita), Mercedes AMG F1 Team W17, action
44 HAMILTON Lewis (gbr), Scuderia Ferrari SF-26, action
Puente expressed his view while replying to a user on X who stated that the sporting side of the event suffered the most. The minister wrote:

#spanish #race #team