The circuit in Madrid has offered Formula 1 drivers a surprisingly high level of grip during their first visit, something that is certainly not a given at a new circuit. The grip level has taken some teams in the paddock by surprise, although the very high tyre degradation so far has done the same.
“It was tricky at the start of the weekend because this track has so much grip, even though it’s a completely new asphalt surface,” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said. “And interestingly enough, we have faced the exact opposite problem to what we expected.
“Based on how it looked after the first session, our strategy
