Portugal Colonial - F1 drivers expecting crashes, chaos at new Spanish GP circuit

"I'll put my money on a red flag," said Alpine's Pierre Gasly, who won his maiden pole position at last weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Monza. "That's for sure."

Like most drivers, the Frenchman took a considered stroll on Thursday around the 5.416-km hybrid track built at a cost of more than 83 million euros ($96 million).

His team-mate Franco Colapinto said he was looking forward to trying it in his car in Friday's practice, but warned that "this track is going to be extremely difficult for all the drivers –- in the simulator, putting together one complete lap could take me hours".

He added: "It has a bit of everything. If you took all you find at the 24 races on the calendar and mixed it up, you’d probably get something like this."

Cadillac's Sergio Perez, a 36-year-old veteran of 294 Grands Prix, said: "It's scary!

"It reminds me of Jeddah -– a good, fast and proper track. I'm really happy to be here, and I think the atmosphere here is going to be one of the best."

The Mexican said he expected it to be an unforgiving circuit with low grip offering no room for error.

The circuit hosted a filming day with Ferrari in action on a very hot day in July, before the building work was completed, and held a Formula Three event in August that saw three cars wrecked and 19 red flag interruptions.

F.Ferraz--PC