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Date Published: 24/01/2024

Madrid Grand Prix set to join the Formula 1 calendar in 2026

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The 5.4-kilometre circuit in the Spanish capital will combine track and road racing

Madrid Grand Prix set to join the Formula 1 calendar in 2026

Madrid will host the Spanish Grand Prix for the next decade, starting in 2026, with a newly designed circuit that spans over 5,474 metres in length and features 20 hair-raising bends. The qualifying lap is expected to take approximately 1 minute and 32 seconds, promising a thrilling combination of sport and entertainment.

The circuit, which is still awaiting official approval, will primarily utilise the roads surrounding the IFEMA exhibition centre and the Real Madrid Sports City in Valdebebas, with only a small portion (around 1.5 kilometres) of the track extending onto public roads.

Formula 1 officials have confirmed the details of the new Madrid layout, which aims to provide a challenging and exciting race experience for drivers and spectators alike, solidifying the city’s status as a premier destination on the international racing calendar.

Location, location, location

“Madrid is an incredible city with amazing sporting and cultural heritage, and today’s announcement begins an exciting new chapter for F1 in Spain,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said.

“It truly epitomises Formula 1’s vision to create a multi-day spectacle of sport and entertainment that delivers maximum value for fans and embraces innovation and sustainability.”

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which has hosted the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991, is very likely to drop off the calendar as a result, although officials are said to be considering the possibility of two races in Spain in the future. The location of the Barcelona circuit has long been criticised, however, and the IFEMA facilities are far more accessible via public transport.

The new venue will have capacity for 110,000 spectators and 10,000 parking spaces and according to an IFEMA spokesperson, Madrid is set to be “the Grand Prix best connected by public transport of the entire competition, a few minutes from the city centre and five minutes from the airport."

The circuit

The Madrid Grand Prix has been painstakingly designed by Jarno Zaffelli, founder and CEO of Dromo, who explained that the semi-urban route “begins in front of the IFEMA entrance, clockwise”, with a “first bend to the left to enter turn two, after a thousand meters at full speed, to the second overtaking point in turn five.

“From here, you enter the first tunnel that descends at an 8% gradient to the bunker. Then, you blindly enter the Valdebebas curve. This leads to the third overtaking point after about 1,500 metres. And, from there, we reached the fourth overtaking point, after a curve and a fast bend in the braking of pavilion 14. The last two curves at 90 degrees, in perfect urban style, and we find ourselves in front of the main building to celebrate our winners.”

In other news: Spanish government introduces supermarket cash cards for low-income families

Image: IFEMA

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