The new Grand Prix has sparked a variety of reactions and mixed feelings. Let's examine all aspects to gain a clear understanding of the project and answer the fundamental question: Madrid, yes or no?
Let's start with the basics. The Spanish Grand Prix will move to Madrid from 2026 under a ten-year contract and will have a completely new configuration, consisting of both road and off-road sections, with a length of 5.474 metres, 20 corners and an expected lap time of 1.32. The circuit will be built around IFEMA (Madrid's exhibition centre) and the Valdebebas Complex, home to Real Madrid's Sports City, which could also benefit the football club. The most controversial aspect is the addition of another street circuit to the calendar. But do they really offer fewer overtaking opportunities and are less suitable for racing?
Regarding overtaking in 2023, Zandvoort is in the lead with 188 overtakings (17% of the total overtakings of the season and +188% compared to the previous year), followed by the new and controversial Las Vegas street circuit with 99 overtakings (9 % of the total). Close behind are several circuits, each accounting for 6% of the total, including Abu Dhabi (70), Spain (65), Austria (63) and Miami (62), a semi-urban layout similar to what Madrid would like to become . Singapore also performs well with 42 overtakings (4% of the total), while Monaco overtakes Canada and Hungary, remaining just below Silverstone.
Street circuits may not be a crowd favourite, but looking at the numbers they still have the potential to offer some great racing and, with the arrival of smaller cars, the action could intensify. The out-of-town area of Madrid is designed for overtaking and the city's streets are also wide, but the final design of the circuit has yet to undergo FIA and FOM regulations.
Password: Sustainability
F1's goal of achieving zero emissions by 2030, with a major transition to fully sustainable fuels by 2026, is very much present in all areas of the sport. Madrid will also stand out for its focus on fan transportation and accessibility, aiming to have a positive impact on the Grand Prix's overall emissions. 90% of visitors will be able to reach the circuit by public transport, a strong point for the objectives green which will also improve the overall fan experience, with approximately 110.000 spectators expected. While Barcelona was already the most sustainable circuit on the calendar, Madrid aspires to take over pole with the IFEMA headquarters already using 100% renewable energy.
In Spain they don't forget the Valencia disaster
Different rumors are circulating in Spain, but an issue that resonates a lot is the case of the Valencia Grand Prix, the city that hosted the Spanish Grand Prix from 2008 to 2012. A city circuit created with the promise of the right-wing party Party of zero public investment but which today is completely abandoned, with economic results far from those promised and a public debt of up to $300 million that the city (and citizens) are still paying. The former leaders of the project, including Bernie Ecclestone (former CEO of F1) and Francisco Camps (former President of the Valencia Region), have both faced corruption charges for different reasons, the latter precisely for the irregular management and financing of the Gran Award.
The question therefore remains on the agenda for the Spaniards, since Isabel Díaz Ayuso (President of the Region of Madrid) and Jose Luís González Almeida (Mayor of Madrid), both of Party, they promised 10.000 jobs and a return of 450 million euros for the Madrid event. According to the 2023 Australian Grand Prix economic impact report by Ernst & Young, 1.149 temporary jobs were generated with an economic impact of $268 million and while Madrid may be more accessible to European fans , there is skepticism about the ambitious promises made.
Does Madrid mark the end of Barcelona?
The future of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya adds complexity. Montmelò is a traditional circuit, used extensively for testing purposes, and has implemented recent changes to the track to improve racing, but it could come to an end with the Spanish Grand Prix moving to the Spanish capital, although nothing is confirmed at this time , and even Stefano Domenicali declared that one should not be excluded.
The contract with Barcelona, which expires in 2026, offers the opportunity to see both Grands Prix coexist, at least for a year. Il Circuit has expressed a desire to extend the contract, but the reality is that with such a busy F1 calendar, it is unlikely to have two Grands Prix in the same country. Barcelona also faces unresolved issues in the coming years, such as poor public accessibility in the last edition, where fans waited more than two hours to access the circuit, with claustrophobic experiences leaving the area after the race.
Madrid still has several essential tasks to complete before joining the F1 calendar, including obtaining FIA homologation for the track and gaining official approval from both the FIA and the World Motorsport Council, which is not expected until October 2025. While the announcement sealed the official agreement between Liberty Media and Madrid, it lacked any representation or mention of the FIA or the Spanish Federation of Motor Sport, two entities crucial to the realization of a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Madrid. Entities that will define the definitive path, decisive in classifying Madrid as a total failure or, as happened with Las Vegas, a good surprise.
