Former Haas Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner has warned that the organisers of the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit must urgently change the track's layout for 2027.
The inaugural 2026 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid drew widespread criticism from drivers, fans and pundits following a processional race that featured virtually no overtaking.
While Kimi Antonelli secured his eighth grand prix victory of the season over Max Verstappen and polesitter Lando Norris, he gained the lead after a well-timed virtual safety car rather than overtaking on track for the win.
Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner acknowledged the intense negativity surrounding the event but urged patience to allow changes to be made.
"It was exactly the same in Vegas, the first year, 'Oh, why would you go to Las Vegas? That's the most stupid thing to do.' It has become a very good thing, and some things work straight away, and some things need some fine-tuning," the former team chief explained.
"If next year Madrid is not sorted out, I would see it as a failure because it's a 10-year contract. It needs to be fixed. There cannot be a second year like this.
"You remember Vegas the first year with the drainage covers coming up. We were there at 6am, 'This is a disaster, they don't know what they're doing.'
"So there was negativity there, but now Vegas has become almost an iconic race already. It seems like it's been there forever because it's so cool."
Antonelli's win in Madrid extended his lead in the drivers' standings to 81 points over his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who currently sits second. Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton is third, 101 points behind Antonelli.
The 15th round of the 2026 season, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, will take place from 24-26 September at the Baku City Circuit.
