Barcelona sport boss claims ‘nobody likes’ Madring circuit after Lewis Hamilton test

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Just days after Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s filming day at the soon-to-debut Madring circuit, Barcelona city council’s sports councillor has made some bold statements.

Ferrari’s filming day test at Madring came under scrutiny, as many believed the team had been paid by the circuit’s organisers to conduct the test there.

This is far from the first bit of controversy surrounding the circuit, as it was suggested that the Madring circuit would need a miracle to be ready in time for the newly-relocated Spanish Grand Prix in September.

The Spanish Grand Prix was moved from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to the Madring circuit, with the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix introduced for the race in northeast Spain.

Furthermore, the circuit in Montmelo will only feature biannually going forward, being rotated with the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa from next year. But city officials in Barcelona don’t expect this to last long.

READ MORE: Luis Garcia Abad claims Madrid GP circuit is ‘ahead of schedule’ despite recent rumours

Barcelona City council expect Spanish GP to ‘eventually’ return as ‘not even the drivers’ like Madring circuit

Speaking to Metropoli Barcelona, David Escude, the sports councillor for the Barcelona City Council, said he expects the Spanish Grand Prix to return to the Catalunya in due time.

He claimed that the drivers and other F1 officials don’t like the new Madring circuit, and this will influence the decision to return the race back to Montmelo in due time.

“I believe that time will prove us right; it is an event that is clearly led by the country’s government, the Generalitat, which is the one in negotiations, which we obviously support and do everything possible to do. I want to carry the city’s name, and I believe that time will eventually put everything in its place.

“The Madrid circuit is one that nobody likes, not even the drivers themselves. That’s true, of course, but ultimately, the drivers have a lot of influence. I remember Fernando Alonso’s words when he spoke about the Barcelona circuit. I trust that once we’ve all gained experience, things will return to normal.

“We have one of the best circuits. It’s true that the circuit needs to be up-to-date and modernised, and that means investment from everyone, but for now, we have a great race, and we hope because I believe things will eventually fall into place.”

The Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix will not return until 2028. Will you miss the iconic circuit next year?

Barcelona and Spa will alternate each year through 2032

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Madrid circuit has caused Formula 1 many headaches ahead of Spanish Grand Prix debut

The Madring circuit is set to debut this summer as part of the Spanish Grand Prix, but in the lead-up to the race, issues with the circuit have been a major talking point.

A few months ago, images of the Madring circuit’s progress shocked fans, with many suggesting it looked nowhere close to meeting the deadline to host the race in September.

On top of that, with fan resentment over Barcelona’s biannual status only fueling the scrutiny surrounding the new city track, F1 officials will keep a close eye on how things go.

Should the Madring circuit lead to several driver complaints, it is possible that Formula 1 looks for an easy win to appease the fanbase and moves on from the circuit as soon as possible.