Formula 1 is heading somewhere new this weekend. For the first time, Madrid will host a Formula 1 Grand Prix, with the brand-new Madring circuit preparing to welcome the world’s fastest drivers from September 11–13, 2026.
The race will be the 14th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season and will introduce fans to one of the newest circuits on the calendar. With its combination of public roads, permanent track sections and the spectacular La Monumental corner, Madrid is expected to provide a very different challenge from the circuits that came before it.
Madrid Returns to Formula 1
Although this is Madrid’s first modern Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Spanish capital is not completely new to the sport.
The last Formula 1 race near Madrid took place at the Jarama circuit in 1981, around 30 kilometres north of the city. More than four decades later, F1 is returning to the Madrid area with a completely new venue located close to the IFEMA exhibition centre and Barajas Airport.
The new event is also part of a 10-year agreement, meaning Madrid is set to become a regular stop on the Formula 1 calendar rather than a one-off experiment.
Meet the New Madring Circuit
The Madring is 5.416 kilometres long and features 22 corners. The race will cover 57 laps, giving drivers a total race distance of approximately 308.5 kilometres.
One of the most interesting aspects of the circuit is its design. Madring combines public-road sections with permanent track areas, giving it a mixture of street-circuit and traditional circuit characteristics.
That makes it difficult to predict which teams will have the strongest package. Unlike established circuits where teams have years of data, drivers are arriving in Madrid with very limited real-world experience of the layout.
La Monumental Could Become the Star of the Weekend
The biggest talking point surrounding the Madring is undoubtedly Turn 12, known as La Monumental.
The corner is around 550 metres long and forms a sweeping 270-degree curve. It features banking of up to 24%, making it the longest banked corner on the current Formula 1 calendar.
The corner is expected to put significant loads through the tyres while demanding commitment from the drivers. Its crest also means drivers can briefly lose sight of the track ahead as they approach the exit.
With walls close to the circuit in several sections, mistakes could be costly.
Formula 1 itself has already described La Monumental as one of the most ambitious pieces of circuit design in the sport.
When Is the 2026 Madrid Grand Prix?
The Madrid Grand Prix takes place from September 11–13, 2026.
The main Formula 1 schedule is:
| Session | Date | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| Practice 1 | Friday, Sept. 11 | 1:30 PM |
| Practice 2 | Friday, Sept. 11 | 5:00 PM |
| Practice 3 | Saturday, Sept. 12 | 12:30 PM |
| Qualifying | Saturday, Sept. 12 | 4:00 PM |
| Grand Prix | Sunday, Sept. 13 | 3:00 PM |
Madrid is two hours ahead of UTC. The Grand Prix itself is scheduled for 57 laps, with a maximum race time of two hours.
Kimi Antonelli Arrives as the Man to Beat
The biggest championship storyline heading into Madrid is the battle at the front.
Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli arrives as the championship leader after producing one of the most impressive drives of the 2026 season at Monza.
The 20-year-old started the Italian Grand Prix from 19th after an engine penalty but fought his way through the field to win the race. The victory was his seventh of the season and extended his championship advantage over Mercedes teammate George Russell to 66 points after 13 rounds.
However, Madrid could be a very different challenge.
The Madring has never hosted an F1 race before, meaning Mercedes and its rivals have no real race history to rely on. That uncertainty could give other teams an opportunity to close the gap.
Sainz and Alonso Give Madrid Two Home Heroes
Spanish fans will have two major drivers to support.
Carlos Sainz is particularly interesting because he was born in Madrid and has already gained some experience around the new circuit. The Williams driver has also been involved in promoting the venue and has driven around the layout before the Grand Prix weekend.
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso will also be racing in front of his home fans.
While expectations around Aston Martin remain more cautious, Alonso’s experience and popularity should make him one of the biggest attractions of the weekend.
For Sainz, however, the race carries an additional significance. He is effectively competing in front of his hometown crowd on a circuit that is making its Formula 1 debut.
Mercedes Will Face a New Challenge
Mercedes has dominated much of the 2026 season, winning nine of the first 13 races before arriving in Madrid. Antonelli’s victory at Monza only strengthened the team’s position at the top.
But the Madring could make the competitive order less predictable.
The circuit contains fast sections, medium- and low-speed corners and several tighter 90-degree turns. Its freshly laid asphalt is also expected to provide relatively low grip, giving teams another variable to understand during practice.
McLaren and Ferrari will therefore be looking for an opportunity to challenge Mercedes.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri remain important contenders, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have already completed promotional laps at the circuit. Ferrari’s experience could provide some useful information, although the team still faces the challenge of understanding how its car behaves over a full race weekend.
A Completely New Track Means Strategy Could Matter
One of the biggest questions is how easily drivers will be able to overtake.
The Madring does not appear to have the long, obvious straights found at some traditional circuits. That could make qualifying especially important.
If overtaking proves difficult, drivers who start near the front could have a significant advantage. At the same time, the new circuit could produce safety cars, tyre-management challenges and unexpected strategy decisions as teams learn how the track behaves under race conditions.
Even the drivers do not know exactly what to expect.
That uncertainty is one of the reasons the Madrid weekend could become one of the most unpredictable races of the season.
What Can Fans Expect?
Madrid is preparing for a major Formula 1 spectacle.
Organisers expect around 130,000 spectators each day, with close to 350,000 people expected across the entire weekend.
Beyond the racing itself, the event represents a major investment in bringing Formula 1 closer to the centre of Madrid. The circuit is designed to be accessible by public transport, while its location near IFEMA and Barajas Airport makes it one of the more centrally located venues on the F1 calendar.
For Spanish fans, it is also another chance to see Alonso and Sainz competing on home soil.
The 2026 Madrid Grand Prix is more than another race on the Formula 1 calendar. It marks the arrival of a completely new circuit, a new chapter for Spanish motorsport and the return of Formula 1 racing to the Madrid area after more than four decades.