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Layout changes expected next year at new F1 track in Madrid to make racing more exciting

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Cite

Azzoni, T. (2026, September 14). Layout changes expected next year at new F1 track in Madrid to make racing more exciting. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/sports/auto-racing/layout-changes-expected-next-year-at-new-f1-track-in-madrid-to-make-racing-more-exciting/article_64342d69-7c8b-5ec7-b1fb-82ae884cf82b.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Toronto Star · collected 2026-09-14 · by Tales Azzoni

Quick Summary

After criticism from drivers and fans for a lack of overtaking opportunities during its debut at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, organizers of the new Madring track in Madrid are planning layout changes for next year. The FIA has indicated potential improvements needed on the urban circuit, which mixes existing roads with purpose-built sections. Event director Luis García Abad confirmed they will be open to making alterations to enhance racing excitement while praising the high-adrenaline laps during qualifying sessions.
Written by AI on 2026-09-14, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

The recent Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid drew criticism from Formula 1 drivers and fans due to the lack of overtaking opportunities on the new 5.4-kilometer (3.3-mile) circuit, which features 22 corners. Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli won the race after an unlucky break for pole-sitter Lando Norris, who finished third behind Max Verstappen. Event director Luis García Abad confirmed that changes to the track layout are expected next year based on FIA recommendations aimed at enhancing racing excitement and overtaking opportunities. Madrid signed a 10-year contract with Formula 1 but will need to make adjustments to improve the circuit's performance for future races.

Written for “Formula One Track Changes Madrid” on 2026-10-30, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Formula One Track Changes Madrid
Sports · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 5% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
BBC News
Hedges 5 of 56 claims Outlet record 69/100
“Article A discusses proposed changes to the Madring track following its debut, while Article B covers the results and reactions to the first race at Madring.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
5%
1 of 22 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
64/100
Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Sports
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-09-14 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Toronto Star · 10443 article(s) · 27 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 27 correction(s)
2026-10-26
Correction
2026-10-24
Correction
2026-10-07
Correction
2026-09-24
Correction

Who wrote this

Tales Azzoni
12 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 “Real Madrid C.F. wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any discomfort that may have been caused by the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappé,” the club said in a statement.
🔮 A win for Barcelona would’ve given the Catalan club a nine-point gap to Madrid, and allowed it to become the first team to win its opening 10 La Liga matches.
🔮 Madrid’s Vinícius will serve the first of a four-game suspension later Sunday for pulling the hair of a Villarreal player and aggressively confronting the referee in the previous round.
🔮 It wasn’t the result we wanted, we could have equalized but we didn’t and now we look forward to the next matches.”
🔮 Barcelona’s defense will include hosting Arsenal in a rematch of the 2025 final won by the London club.
🔮 “We could skip the news conference, because the story of the match is right here (on the photos),” Mourinho said.
🔮 After Barcelona’s biggest win of the season, Raphinha said he and his teammates are hungry for goals and will keep pushing for more.
🔮 Rayo Vallecano triumphs in Butarque again Rayo Vallecano beat Espanyol 2-1 with first-half goals by Álvaro García and Adria Pedrosa in what may have been its last match before returning home to Vallecas Stadium.
🔮 MADRID (AP) — Changes are expected to the new Madring track next year after its lackluster debut at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.
🔮 There were a few other incidents in the final practice session, with Alexander Albon brushing the wall and his Williams teammate Carlos Sainz just barely avoiding hitting the barrier after not being able to turn on a corner.
Also by Tales Azzoni
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 12 articles by Tales Azzoni →

Topics

FIA Formula 1 MADRID Mercedes the Spanish Grand Prix

Subjects

Norris PERSON · 4× MADRID GPE · 3× Abad PERSON · 2× FIA ORG · 2× Formula 1 ORG · 1× Kimi Antonelli PERSON · 1× Lando Norris PERSON · 1× Luis García Abad PERSON · 1× Max Verstappen PERSON · 1× Mercedes PERSON · 1×

Narrative

Only a few passes happened during the race at the 5.4-kilometer (3.3-mile) circuit that has 22 corners and combines high-speed zones, heavy-braking areas, changes of gradient, blind angles, technical sectors and long, high-load corners that proved challenging for drivers.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-14
🔮 MADRID (AP) — Changes are expected to the new Madring track next year after its lackluster debut at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

Claims (22 extracted, 1 hedged)

MADRID (AP) — Changes are expected to the new Madring track next year after its lackluster debut at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. asserted
Changes → expect → Prix
Organizers said they are open to trying to improve the layout that produced virtually no overtaking opportunities and drew widespread criticism from Formula 1 drivers. asserted
that → say → drivers
The lack of track action was criticized by fans as well as F1 returned to Madrid after a 45-year absence. asserted
F1 → criticize → absence
Event director Luis García Abad said that governing body FIA has already indicated the changes that might be needed on the urban track that mixes existing roads and purpose-built sections. uncertain
that → say → roads
Madrid signed a 10-year contract to be on the F1 calendar. asserted
Madrid → sign → calendar
“Well, to be honest, FIA has clearly defined how to improve the circuit layout, and we will be open to that because we will have to refurbish the circuit for next year,” Abad told Motorsport.com. asserted
Abad → define → Motorsport.com
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli won Sunday’s race after pole-sitter Lando Norris caught an unlucky break with the timing of the deployment of the virtual safety car. asserted
Norris → win → car
Norris ended third, behind Max Verstappen. asserted
Norris → end → Verstappen
“I think there are some obvious changes they should make,” Norris said. asserted
Norris → think → ?
“I think they can make it into a track that’s good for racing, and I’m excited to come back here next year if they can make these changes because I think it’s a track that is good fun to drive and it can be a great racetrack. asserted
it → think → changes
To me, it’s not a great racetrack. asserted
it → ’ → me
It’s great in qualifying.” asserted
It → ’ → qualifying
Norris was among those who praised the high-adrenaline laps that the circuit produced when cars were not battling for position. asserted
cars → praise → position
“I really believe that the drivers enjoyed qualifying a lot. asserted
drivers → believe → ?
But for sure we will try to make an improvement for next year,” Abad said. asserted
Abad → try → year
“We have the space, we have a venue, we have the facilities, we have the capacity to do it. asserted
we → have → it
If we can improve something, we will do it.” asserted
we → improve → it
Only a few passes happened during the race at the 5.4-kilometer (3.3-mile) circuit that has 22 corners and combines high-speed zones, heavy-braking areas, changes of gradient, blind angles, technical sectors and long, high-load corners that proved challenging for drivers. asserted
that → happen → drivers
“It definitely doesn’t create overtaking opportunities and it doesn’t push you to try and make a move,” Antonelli said. asserted
Antonelli → create → move
“I think there are some corners that need to be changed to create more overtaking opportunities because right now, yes, it’s nice over one lap, but for sure in the race, you know, you’re just stuck behind.” asserted
you → think → race
Drivers mostly praised the infrastructure of the new circuit that was built around exhibition-hall pavilions in an affluent area of the Spanish capital. asserted
that → praise → capital
Norris had also called for changes to the track’s long pit lane, which is divided in two sections and discourages strategic pit stops. asserted
which → call → stops
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