--- title: "Qualifying Will Be Thrilling: Leclerc Praises New Madrid Circuit After Strong Friday Runs" description: "Charles Leclerc set the second-fastest time in the second Friday free practice on the new Madrid circuit, losing to Antonelli by 0.1 seconds. The Ferrari driver called qualifying thrilling and warned of overtaking difficulties in Sunday's race." date: 2026-09-12T12:46:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/leclerc-madrid-circuit-first-impressions tags: [formula-1, charles-leclerc, ferrari, spanish-grand-prix, madrid, andrea-kimi-antonelli, free-practice] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Qualifying Will Be Thrilling: Leclerc Praises New Madrid Circuit After Strong Friday Runs ![Charles Leclerc in a red Ferrari suit at the team garage after evaluating the new Madrid circuit in Friday running](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/12/leclerc-madrid-trass-pervye-vpechatleniya/leclerc-madrid-trass-pervye-vpechatleniya-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Leclerc finished 3rd in FP1 and 2nd in FP2 on the new Madrid circuit, losing to Antonelli by 0.1 seconds - The Ferrari driver called the circuit very difficult and expects a thrilling qualifying - Overtaking in Sunday's race could become a serious problem due to the specifics of the layout - The team completed its plan for Friday and maximised the number of laps completed This weekend, the Spanish Grand Prix is being held on a new street circuit in Madrid, and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc shared his first impressions of working on a completely unfamiliar layout. The Monegasque demonstrated a high pace in the Friday free practice sessions, consistently staying in the leading group: he finished third in the first practice and second in the second. At the end of FP2, Leclerc was beaten only by the day's fastest time, set by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, losing to him by just a tenth of a second. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the official Formula 1 website. ### A New Circuit as a Challenge for All Competitors "It was a very interesting day. Obviously, the track is completely new for everyone. It is very, very difficult, and I think qualifying will be thrilling," Leclerc noted in a comment after the Friday sessions. According to sports.ru, the Monegasque specifically highlighted the "La Monumental" corner, which, in his opinion, could become a signature element of the entire layout. For a driver who has accumulated a wealth of experience on street circuits over the years of his Formula 1 career, the Madrid street represents a fundamentally new challenge: narrow sections, limited room for manoeuvre, and specific aerodynamic loads require revisiting familiar approaches to car setup. ### Overtaking as the Key Problem of Sunday's Race Despite traditionally strong driving on street circuits, Leclerc is not making overblown predictions and is focusing on maximising the car's potential. Due to the specifics of the new Madrid layout, overtaking during Sunday's race could become a serious challenge, which makes Saturday's qualifying decisive. The battle for grid positions, in essence, becomes the main intrigue of the weekend: if a driver fails to secure a favourable position on Saturday, it will be extremely difficult to recover on a track with a limited number of DRS zones. ### Friday's Plan Completed, Work Continues Leclerc assured that the team fully completed its plan for Friday and maximised the number of laps completed, which is critically important for gathering data on a completely new circuit. The Monegasque expects high speed from the Mercedes cars, but emphasises the importance of working exclusively with their own setup. "There is a lot of work to be done to improve the car before Saturday, but the day went well. I will simply focus on myself, trying to optimise everything we can, and I hope that tomorrow we will be able to do something really good," the driver added. Thus, Ferrari approaches the Saturday sessions with a full set of telemetry and a clear understanding of the areas for improvement. ### Context: Pressure Within the Team It is worth noting that the Friday sessions in Madrid are taking place against the backdrop of a recent incident at the Italian Grand Prix, after which Lewis Hamilton reportedly made a firm demand to Ferrari. This episode adds additional context to the Monegasque's performance: pressure within the team and the need to demonstrate consistency on every track make the Madrid weekend even more significant. Leclerc, however, shows restraint and focus on the work, rather than on external factors. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [This Will Be a Thrilling Qualifying: Leclerc Shares Impressions from the First Runs in Madrid](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/othersport/tse-bude-zahopliva-kvalifikatsiya-lekler-1789216951.html) - Основные факты: позиции в FP1/FP2, цитаты Леклера, упоминание Антонелли, план команды на пятницу. Все данные совпадают с текстом статьи. - [Charles Leclerc on "Madridring": "Great Track. The 'La Monumental' Corner Could Become a Signature"](https://www.sports.ru/automoto/1117325265-sharl-lekler-o-madringe-klassnaya-trassa-povorot-la-monumental-mozhet-.html) - Подтверждает оценку трассы Леклером и добавляет деталь о повороте «Ла Монументаль». Не противоречит данным источника 1. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What positions did Leclerc finish in the Friday free practice sessions in Madrid? **A:** In the first practice (FP1), Charles Leclerc finished third, and in the second (FP2) — second, losing to the day's fastest time set by Andrea Kimi Antonelli by just a tenth of a second. ### Q: What did Leclerc say about the difficulty of the new Madrid circuit? **A:** The Ferrari driver called the circuit "very, very difficult," noting that it is completely new for all competitors. He expects a thrilling qualifying and highlighted the "La Monumental" corner as a potentially signature element of the layout. ### Q: What problems could arise in Sunday's race in Madrid? **A:** Due to the specifics of the new street layout, overtaking during the race could become a serious challenge. This makes Saturday's qualifying decisive, as it will be extremely difficult to recover on a track with limited space. ### Q: Did Ferrari complete its plan for the Friday sessions? **A:** Yes, Leclerc confirmed that the team fully completed its plan for Friday and maximised the number of laps completed, which is important for gathering data on a completely new circuit.