Max Verstappen admits he is 'not a fan' of new Madring or street circuits in general

[p]Asked how he liked his first day's running on the new high-risk hybrid Madring circuit on the outskirts of Madrid, he said: "[b]I'm not a fan of street circuits."[/b][/p][p]"That will never change. And I will always prefer to drive on a track like Spa (in Belgium).[/p][p][b]"But what they have done in the way they have built everything up, I think they've done a really good job. But I am not a fan of street circuits."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Verstappen[/a] said he was not surprised at his performance or position after two hours on the track he had described as "challenging" and said he had finished as expected.[/p][p][b]"From our side, it's more or less where we are. We just need to work a little bit more on the balance and try to get more out one lap and then see how the tyres hold up on the long run, but I guess everyone is in the same boat."[/b][/p][embed guid="63dbf571-db8a-4aa3-b2ff-2580f02baaeb" url="https://x.com/redbullracing/status/2098442020985471485" social-type="twitter" /][p]His Red Bull team-mate, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lawson-liam/nap8RjeO/"]Liam Lawson[/a], substituting for the injured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hadjar-isack/8SAk38Ui/"]Isack Hadjar[/a], was 10th as Mercedes and Ferrari set the pace throughout a day of unexpectedly straightforward action with only one red flag.[/p][p]That came when Racing Bulls' impressive rookie [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lindblad-arvid/bgk1rl5a/"]Arvid Lindblad[/a] crashed in second practice. Most paddock observers including drivers had forecast a series of accidents and red flags.[/p][p]Lindblad ended the day fourth fastest behind [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]Antonelli[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles Leclerc[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis Hamilton[/a] with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]George Russell[/a] fifth in the second Mercedes.[/p][p]Verstappen was sixth ahead of McLaren's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/piastri-oscar/MqKAIeUf/"]Oscar Piastri[/a] whose team-mate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] managed only two laps before pitting for a new gearbox in the second session.[/p][p][b]"That's a big setback for him," [/b]said McLaren technical director Mark Temple. [b]"Going into FP3, we'll be trying to do as much as we can to give him back track time."[/b][/p]