Vowles calls Madrid 'a car-wrecking track' after F3 test destroys three chassis in two days

Vowles said data from the recent F3 test had caught his attention. The two-day session produced 19 red flags, three broken chassis and six broken suspensions, setting the tone before a single F1 car has turned a competitive lap at the venue.

The Williams boss said his team was "surprised by the level of sustained G-forces during the banking," noting that the loads last roughly four and a half seconds and will challenge both the car and its systems. He described La Monumental's demands as unique, saying nothing like it currently exists on the F1 calendar.

The damage toll from the F3 running was what concerned Vowles most. "OK, they're F3 drivers, but it's a car-wrecking track," he noted. He acknowledged there is still uncertainty about how the heavier, faster F1 cars will cope with the circuit's demands.

Williams driver Carlos Sainz, a Madrid native and an ambassador for the event, offered a more cautious view. "I think the 'car killer' label is for F3 cars at the moment," he said at Monza. He added there would be time to change a corner or curb in future years if the first race shows the circuit has gone too far.

Vowles' warning arrives with car fragility already in the spotlight. Max Verstappen complained after Monza qualifying that components on his Red Bull "break or seize up", going so far as to describe the RB22 as made of paper on team radio.

Red Bull has been struggling with the same issue for years, according to the Dutchman, despite the complete overhaul of technical regulations for 2026.

While GPblog has already explored how Madrid's 22-corner layout could favour certain teams and how McLaren's Andrea Stella has played down Ferrari's advantage, Vowles has raised a more fundamental concern whether the machinery can survive the circuit at all.

F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali also commented on the Madring at Monza, acknowledging the venue is still being finished. "It's not perfect, but there's always room for improvement," he said. Friday's opening practice sessions will provide the first real answers.