MADRID -- Max Verstappen has called on Formula 1 to consult drivers when designing new circuits amid concerns there will be no overtaking at Sunday's inaugural race at the all-new Madring.
This year the Spanish Grand Prix has moved to Madrid on a new hybrid street circuit featuring 22 corners and multiple high-speed sections.
Verstappen qualified his Red Bull third on the grid -- behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli and McLaren's Lando Norris on pole position -- but doubts there will be any opportunities to move up the order after the start.
"It will be tough, I mean, let's say best case scenario and you're faster [than the car in front], you still can't pass," he said.
"There are no corners where you can pass, so you need to rely on people degging [suffering tyre degradation] very aggressively. So yeah, it's going to be tough.
"I mean, in the long runs it was very tough with a lot of deg for everyone, so that will be probably the key point tomorrow. But even with that, I need to still figure out a corner where you can pass."
Turn 5 has been highlighted as the best overtaking opportunity, but the curved braking zone on the approach to the slow-speed chicane means the lead driver can easily defend by positioning their car in the middle of the track.
What's more, Verstappen said the combination of braking and turning in an F1 car makes the challenge of overtaking even more difficult.
"The corners, like I said before, you can't overtake," he added. "So, in some places, the braking zones, they need to learn that it should never be that you have to steer and combine with the braking because it doesn't allow any kind of overtaking. So, for sure, in terms of track design, I think it can be better."
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Verstappen questioned why F1 track designers do not consult current drivers on circuit designs, saying there are always ways to promote overtaking on a completely new layout.
"I think also input from drivers in the future on track design can also help a lot," the four-time champion said.
"I know they will always come back to you and say 'yeah, but the space [is not available].' Yes, but there's always a way to find an overtaking opportunity around a track.
"But, overall, the event itself is very cool. I mean, yes, they've done a great job. Also, how quickly they made the track available, the information that was shared for the simulator. So, in that sense, I think it was very good.
"But, in terms of if you want to have better racing, overtaking, I think there can be a few corners that can be changed."
Verstappen also said the circuit's signature corner -- the banked La Monumental -- had not lived up to expectations in qualifying due to the need to preserve battery energy for later in the lap.
The Red Bull driver has been one of the biggest critics of F1's new engine formula for 2026, which requires nearly 50% of peak power to be derived from the car's battery pack.
Verstappen said he had looked forward to the corner prior to arriving in Madrid, but was unable to take it flat out for fear of draining the battery.
"Well, I wanted to go flat, but then my battery died," he said. "I had to add a lift, to have better deployment [of energy further around the lap].
"So that's my La Monumental experience.
"Yeah, I mean, it's cool, the banking, but I think they should have done it the other way around, though -- initially more banking and then just flatten it out.
"But in an F1 car you have so much downforce. I think it's more challenging in the other categories [Formula 2 and Formula 3] because it didn't look so easy flat in other categories.
"For us, plus because our battery dies towards the end, so you already slow down a bit. But, I mean, I guess for the shots it looks great from the outside."