Kimi Antonelli is the man of the moment in Formula 1, but the Mercedes championship leader faces a major new challenge in Spain this weekend as the sport heads to a brand-new circuit in Madrid.

Fresh from becoming the first Italian since 1966 to win his home race at Monza, the 20-year-old will enter unfamiliar territory when the Spanish capital’s Madring hosts its maiden Grand Prix.

The circuit features a signature corner known as La Monumental, a dramatic banked section designed to provide one of the biggest challenges on the new track.

This will be the second Spanish Grand Prix of the season after the race at Barcelona’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, while Madring becomes the first completely new circuit to join the F1 calendar since Las Vegas three years ago.

With no established pecking order at the venue, drivers will have to rely heavily on simulator work and limited data as they attempt to understand the new track.

La Monumental set to test F1 drivers

The headline feature of Madring is La Monumental, a 550-metre-long, high-speed 270-degree corner.

The heavily banked section also features a crest on the exit, meaning drivers will briefly lose sight of the track as they look towards the sky.

That combination of speed, banking and limited visibility is expected to make the corner one of the defining features of Madrid’s new circuit.

Mercedes, which has won nine of the opening 13 races, should once again be among the frontrunners, although the team could face a tougher challenge than it did at Monza.

Antonelli and teammate George Russell finished first and second in Italy, with the Italian now holding a 66-point advantage over his Mercedes rival.

Antonelli has the opportunity to extend that advantage significantly in Madrid, potentially putting the equivalent of three race wins between himself and Russell.

The Briton, meanwhile, will be desperate to reignite his title challenge and secure his first victory since Austria in June.

McLaren ready to challenge Mercedes

McLaren could provide the biggest threat to Mercedes, with reigning world champion Lando Norris arriving after victories in the Netherlands and Hungary.

His teammate Oscar Piastri will also be determined to add another win to his season and remains firmly in contention for the championship.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff expects the new circuit to produce a closely fought weekend.

“The circuit characteristics are much closer to somewhere like Budapest or Zandvoort. We are therefore expecting a very close-fought weekend,” Wolff said.

Ferrari drivers cautious after July test

Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have already driven the Madring, although their experience came during a filming day in July when parts of the circuit were still under construction.

Hamilton played down the value of those laps, explaining that the conditions were far from representative.

“We only had a few laps, so it was very dusty for a new circuit,” Hamilton said.

“There was no grip, your tyres were basically covered in dust the whole time. It looks like it will be a qualifying lap sort of circuit, and there’s not really any straights. So it looks like a difficult place to overtake.”

Leclerc, who suffered a heavy crash at Monza on Sunday, believes La Monumental could eventually become one of the sport’s most iconic corners.

The Ferrari driver expects the high-speed section to demand complete commitment from drivers as they push their cars to the limit.

Sainz and Alonso lead Spanish hopes

Carlos Sainz, the Madrid-born Williams driver and an ambassador for the circuit, is the only other F1 driver with previous experience of Madring.

However, the Spaniard believes the new venue could produce a chaotic weekend after hearing about incidents during an F3 test.

“Looking at the track and hearing of what happened in the F3 test, I think we are all expecting safety cars, red flags and yellow flags in qualifying and things like this,” Sainz said.

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is the other major home favourite.

The Aston Martin driver is a lifelong supporter of Real Madrid, but expectations are likely to remain measured as his team and engine partner Honda continue their efforts to close the gap to the leading teams.

Hadjar remains sidelined

French driver Isack Hadjar remains out injured, meaning New Zealander Liam Lawson will replace him at Red Bull for a third consecutive race.

Reserve driver Yuki Tsunoda will meanwhile continue to stand in at Racing Bulls.

Organisers are expecting a huge turnout for Madrid’s F1 debut, with all tickets reportedly sold.

Around 130,000 spectators are expected each day, with cumulative attendance projected to approach 350,000 across the Grand Prix weekend.