The grandstands ahead of the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix around the Madring fell silent seconds ahead of the off as years of planning and excitement were finally realised.
F1’s newest track introduced the most outrageous corner on the calendar with the terrifying 4.8G Turn 12, La Monumental, described as a ‘car killer’ due to its imperious banking. And the anticipation was palpable in the Madrid stands as the crowd rose to their feet for the formation lap.
Quite possibly the most exciting formation lap of the year so far perfectly encapsulated the feeling that anything could happen as the cars roared off the grid to complete their pre-race checks and performance work – the reason why Allwyn sponsors the grandest moment of anticipation every race weekend.
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I had the pleasure of collaborating with Allwyn in Madrid and watched the weekend’s racing in the grandstand, where I saw the pre-race mechanical work that takes place off-screen from the TV cameras.
From the buzz of the pit lane before the cars leave the garage to the seas of people up and down the grid either working on or gawping at the cars that flock onto the track as the clock ticks down to start time.
A couple of days spent expanding my palate by eating eels for the first time. As well as cheesecakes and tapas while indulging in Mahou, spirits, and the strongest dirty martini ever. And watching Jude Bellingham run the show at the spaceship-like Santiago Bernabeu, scoring in the 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano.
Gave way to the climax of the weekend as it was time for Lando Norris to lead the field away, almost 22 hours after taking pole position.
Having explored the paddock on Saturday, I watched as Lewis Hamilton conducted his post-qualifying interview after missing out on pole despite setting the fastest lap in the first part of Q3. Then came a gloomy-looking Charles Leclerc, as the Monegasque could only put his Ferrari in P5 in what is a frustrating period for the Tifosi.
It became apparent over the weekend that qualifying would be crucial given the lack of overtaking opportunities around the Madring. And that feeling wasn’t lost on the drivers as Max Verstappen and Norris walked by with bright smiles across their faces. While championship leader Kimi Antonelli flew past at the wheel of a buggy while honking a horn at us confused passers-by!
Unfortunately for the race, the overtaking concerns were realised, but it was not without drama. Hamilton suffered an early retirement due to brake issues after Verstappen had to concede two places he gained at the start off the track.
But the race-defining moment saw Norris’ hopes of a remarkable assault on defending his drivers’ title take a major hit as a painfully timed Virtual Safety Car saw him lose the lead of the race in the pit lane as he dropped to P4, having pitted after the VSC ended.
Antonelli was allowed to dominate the rest of the race and extend his championship lead. At just 20, the Mercedes star showed incredible maturity in admitting that Norris deserved the victory; such was the Brit’s start to the race.
The Madring is the newest race on the calendar, and will continue to be the youngest track next season despite Portugal’s Portimao and Turkey’s Istanbul Park returning to the circus after previously losing their places.
Come next year, the formation lap in Madrid will be another exciting occasion as circuit chiefs and developers insisted they will make adequate changes to the track to allow overtaking opportunities. For a first year race, Madrid organisers will be incredibly happy with the logistical process, with the city buzzing with F1 fanzones and sights to see. While getting to and from the track was a blissful surprise from the hour-long treks to the historic tracks. There is certainly a great foundation for the race in years to come if the right changes are made to the track.
Allwyn AG, a multi-national lottery and gaming company, and the parent company of Allwyn UK, which operates the UK National Lottery, recognises the ultimate moment of anticipation before events is just as exciting as the thick of the action.
They have partnered with F1 for the Formation Lap, where tension builds, and drivers and fans share the excitement before the lights go out.
Allwyn have launched their own fan engagement competition through its partnership with F1, creating the Allwyn League that F1 Predict players can join and have the chance to win exclusive prizes related to the peak of motorsport.
They can include grandstand tickets to Grand Prix plus special end-of-season prizes such as Paddock Club access and one-of-a-kind memorabilia. The Allwyn League can be found here.