David Coulthard has warned Formula 1 organisers that returning to the Madring circuit in 2027 without altering its layout would be “stupidity” following a processional first race.
The race has faced criticism after it became clear that there were few overtaking opportunities around the semi-permanent circuit.
After Lando Norris started from pole position, an ill-timed virtual safety car cost him the lead as he had already passed the pit entry. Mercedes driver and current championship leader Kimi Antonelli capitalised on the moment, took the cheaper pitstop and went on to claim his eighth grand prix win of the season.
Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, former F1 driver Coulthard insisted that the championship must act on the negative feedback.
“I think the fans, we’ve got to listen to them,” he said. “We can’t say, ‘Oh, you’re wrong.’ If they’re saying they think the race was boring, then hey, that’s what they think.
“What we do have is the opportunity to make changes because if we don’t make changes and we come back and have a similar processional race… And Max Verstappen commented that he was not at all concerned when he was being caught by Lando Norris because he said, ‘All I need to do is drive in the middle of the track as you would in Monaco.’
A scenic view of the circuit
Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images
“If we take all that information and come back next year with exactly the same, then put the same cake mix into the oven and expect a different outcome, that’s stupidity.”
The former Red Bull driver offered some suggestions as to how the track layout could be improved.
“A good old-fashioned, slower chicane like you have at Monza creates overtaking because you have braking distance,” he added. “The first and second chicanes currently are too fast. So you enter on a shallow line with too much speed.
“Or somewhere around that area, you chuck in a loop, a hairpin loop that encourages people to have a go. That’s the only thing you can do.
“In the middle part of the circuit where it’s all fast and flowing, you can’t do anything because you need the circuit to join up with the end, and you need to get there somehow.”
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