A 24 per cent bank, around 500 metres in length and enormous tyre forces: Madrid’s Turn 12 could become one of Formula 1’s most distinctive sections
Monaco has its hairpin, Spa-Francorchamps has Eau Rouge/Raidillon, and Silverstone has the Maggotts, Becketts and Chapel complex: according to Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, the new “Madring” Formula 1 circuit in Madrid stands a good chance of soon being mentioned in the same breath as these traditional circuits and their iconic sections.
The reason for this is Turn 12 in Madrid: “La Monumental”. Leclerc described it as a “truly special corner” following the Ferrari demonstration laps in July. He said: “It could become one of the most iconic corners of the season.”
But what makes this corner so special? One aspect is its almost semi-circular shape; another is its steep camber over long stretches, with a transverse slope of up to 24 per cent (approximately 13 degrees) – the track slopes down significantly towards the inside of the right-hand bend. Added to this are the bend’s length of around 500 metres and the stadium-like atmosphere created by the grandstands on the outside.
The latter, in particular, will “be the talk of the world”, said Alpine driver Franco Colapinto. “There’ll be room for 45,000 fans in this section alone, all around a single bend. That’s just mad!”
“La Monumental” commands respect in Formula 1
All of this sounds “quite impressive” to Pirelli’s chief engineer, Simone Berra. The corner is technically extremely demanding: “We expect it to be probably the most critical section of the entire season for our tyres. It’s not just about the lateral forces, but above all the vertical load,” explained Berra.
Colapinto, meanwhile, firmly expects that the drivers will “really feel the effects of this rather demanding corner […] physically as well. Due to the banking and the high speed we can maintain through such a corner, it will look quite spectacular from the outside,” explained Colapinto. “It will be a real challenge inside the car.”
The big question is: can “La Monumental” be taken at full throttle?
The combination of the banked angle and the length of “La Monumental” therefore makes things difficult for the Formula 1 drivers in Madrid. “We’ll have to be very brave there in qualifying to really drive at the limit,” said Leclerc. “That’ll be really cool.”
Whether “La Monumental” can be driven through at full throttle, however, remains to be seen. After his demonstration laps in July, Leclerc had still expressed doubts: “It didn’t look like it. During our test laps, we were very, very far from being able to drive through at full throttle. But that was mainly down to the dust on the track.”
That dust has now cleared, and the circuit and “La Monumental” are ready for the Formula 1 debut this weekend. And “one thing is certain”, according to Leclerc: “It’ll require total commitment”, as the new circuit is “very demanding”, but offers a “nice rhythm” for the drivers. “I always particularly like that about street circuits,” said Leclerc.
