Formula 1’s brand-new Madrid circuit delivered a race that will be remembered more for what didn’t happen than what did. A procession masquerading as a Grand Prix, a seven-time champion parked in the garage with no brakes, two Spanish heroes colliding on home soil — and the biggest show of the week hasn’t even happened yet. Welcome back to F1 Zone: Going Off Track.

Madring: “I Almost Fell Asleep”

If the race was dull for the fans, it was worse for the drivers. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto summed up the mood in one sentence: “I almost fell asleep.” The new 5.4-kilometre, 22-corner circuit — half street track, half purpose-built — was widely condemned for its lack of overtaking opportunities. Lando Norris called Turns 18 and 19 “useless” and suggested they should be replaced with a longer straight into a wider hairpin. Max Verstappen went further, calling claims the layout couldn’t be fixed “BS” and demanding that F1 consult drivers on future circuit designs. Alex Albon said the track needs significant revisions. Even race winner Antonelli admitted that the layout discouraged drivers from attempting moves. The verdict was unanimous: great in qualifying, terrible for racing.

Hamilton’s title hopes go up in smoke — Literally

Lewis Hamilton’s championship challenge suffered a potentially fatal blow when he was forced to retire on lap seven with brake failure — his first retirement of the 2026 season and his first brakes-related DNF since the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix. The seven-time champion had been running as high as third when the brake pedal went long approaching Turn 5. Unable to slow the car, Hamilton ran wide and tapped the barrier with the left-rear of his Ferrari. The pedal briefly recovered, allowing him to continue for a few corners, before failing again and sending him deep into the Turn 20 run-off area. He limped back to the pits and retired, ending his impressive record of completing every racing lap of the 2026 season. Hamilton, who now sits 101 points behind Antonelli, said afterwards that Ferrari had the car to fight for a win — which only made the retirement harder to swallow.

Peace at Ferrari? Hamilton and Leclerc bury the hatchet

The good news for Ferrari: Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have made up. After their first-lap clash at Monza the previous weekend, the pair held face-to-face talks in Madrid on Thursday, with Leclerc publicly accepting blame for the Monza incident.

He admitted he went too far and could have done a better job to avoid putting his team-mate in a difficult position. Hamilton praised Leclerc’s maturity in engaging in an honest discussion, and both drivers confirmed the matter had been squashed. Notably, Hamilton confirmed that despite his earlier calls for written rules of engagement, no new regulations had been implemented by Ferrari. The truce held — the pair raced cleanly all weekend, with Leclerc finishing fourth.

Alonso vs Sainz: The home heroes collide

If Ferrari’s problems were internal, the Spanish GP was a disaster for the host nation’s two drivers. Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz collided on track, with Alonso accusing Sainz of squeezing him against the wall at 340 km/h on a fast section — a move he called unnecessary and dangerous. Sainz defended himself, arguing that the corner only allowed room for one car and accusing Alonso of using the radio to influence the stewards. Sainz received a five-second time penalty and later retired with a technical issue. Alonso sustained front-wing damage, pitted, and finished 17th. Both drivers agreed the circuit layout needed changes — though they disagreed on almost everything else.

Leclerc baby: Before 2027, but no date confirmed

Charles Leclerc’s wife Alexandra has been a fixture in the Madrid paddock, showing off her growing baby bump in a Dior newspaper dress reminiscent of Carrie Bradshaw.

But when is the baby due? The honest answer is: no official date has been announced. Leclerc himself hinted at a major family change before 2027, telling media ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix: “My life is probably going to change quite a bit before 2027, family-wise.” Hello Magazine reported Alexandra will be welcoming her “bundle of joy in a few short months” — which, based on the visible bump during the Monza and Madrid weekends in September, suggests a late 2026 arrival. But the couple, who married in a private Monaco ceremony in February, have kept the exact due date private. Watch this space.

Max vs 100: Karting spectacle on Wednesday

The karting spectacle of the season takes place this Wednesday, 16 September. Max Verstappen will start at the back of a 101-kart grid at Silverstone and attempt to overtake all 100 drivers ahead of him in a 30-lap race on a purpose-built circuit designed by karting world champion David Terrien.

Red Bull’s Instagram account dropped a reel on 5 September that showed Max Verstappen driving, well, anything with wheels and a steering wheel. A soapbox car. A mega truck. Obstacle courses. The lot. The caption: “If it has a wheel, Max will race it.” The post racked up 103,000 likes and served as a teaser for the main event.

The race will be streamed live on Disney+ from 5pm UK time, with the race starting at 6pm. Comedian Mo Gilligan hosts the broadcast, which will feature drone footage, live race data, and — in a first for motorsport — Verstappen and his rivals will be mic’d up, so viewers hear the reactions, rivalries, and conversations live from behind the wheel as he hunts them down. Every driver Verstappen overtakes is eliminated. As 100 becomes 50, 10, 3, 1 — one question remains: can anyone survive Max?

The event is also available on the ESPN App in the US, with a delayed ESPN2 broadcast later that day. No spectators are allowed on site.

Watch live: Disney+ (disneyplus.com) — search “Max vs 100”

This report was compiled using AI assistance. It was fact-checked and published by an editor.