Zaffelli doubts major Madring changes for 2027
The ideas now being discussed were contained in Dromo’s original plans
Madring’s original designer Jarno Zaffelli doubts the circuit can be significantly changed for 2027, despite organisers promising modifications after the processional inaugural Spanish GP.
Luis Garcia Abad and other organisers have acknowledged that changes are being examined after overtaking proved basically impossible at the new Madrid circuit.
But Zaffelli, whose Dromo company is now locked in a design dispute with IFEMA and was not welcomed at the inaugural race, told Motor.es that many of the obvious solutions are constrained by infrastructure that already shaped the original project.
"There might be some changes, but they’ll be minimal," he said.
Intriguingly, Zaffelli says some of the ideas now being discussed were already contained in Dromo’s original plans before the final layout was altered.
"From what has been said publicly, some of the options that have been considered seem to be closer to the intentions that were already present in our original project, which included an opportunity for improvement at turn 5."
"The design faced very strict restrictions in many places, as the new exhibition halls had already been designed and approved, as had the road network."
At turn 5, Zaffelli says his original version was "narrower" with "less cornering speed".
Turn 6 was also different.
"Inside turn 6 there was no asphalt run-off area, but rather a gravel solution," he said.
Even the heavily banked La Monumental section was originally intended to encourage competing lines rather than simply increase speed.
"The logic of the sequence wasn’t about gaining time through banking, but about creating two trajectories with opposing advantages," said Zaffelli.
The political argument surrounding Madrid’s new race is also continuing, with Community of Madrid president Isabel Diaz Ayuso accusing Spain’s central government of failing to support an event carrying the Spanish GP title.
"I don’t understand why we have 22 ministries if none of them have bothered to get involved," Diario Sport quoted her as saying.