Madrid is preparing to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2026, 45 years after the Circuito del Jarama hosted its final F1 race on 21 June 1981. The Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, which will be held in Madrid from 2026 to 2035, will feature a brand new F1 circuit – the Madring circuit – with a mix of slow, medium, and high-speed corners on both public roads and private land.

The project is led by IFEMA Madrid, the consortium formed by the Community of Madrid, the Madrid City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Montemadrid Foundation. 

Construction of the Madring circuit started in April 2025 as part of a $94 million contract awarded by IFEMA Madrid to a consortium formed by Acciona (60%) and Eiffage Construcción (40%).

The project includes the assembly and dismantling of all the temporary track structures and facilities for the race, as well as the restoration of the public roads that will form part of the circuit for their everyday use once the race is over.

The Acciona–Eiffage Construcción consortium plans to complete the works on all the permanent structures and elements by May 2026.

The circuit, designed under the Grade 1 standards of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), will be 5.4 km long, of which 4.1 km will be within IFEMA Madrid land and 1.3 km on a section of public roads, thus ensuring the compatibility of everyday use with the works’ execution and minimizing the potential impact on the IFEMA fairground’s operation and traffic.

In order to fulfil the project’s environmental ambitions, the consortium plans to reuse around 700,000 m3 of the total volume of soil from the earthworks – 60% for the worksite and 40% to be recycled at a later date elsewhere.

The many initiatives aimed at reducing the project’s environmental footprint include:

  • Using HCO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) as fuel for construction machinery, to reduce the site’s CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels.
  • Prioritising the application of photocatalytic road surfaces to the asphalt to reduce
    polluting gas emissions from combustion engines.
  • Implementation of a sustainable urban drainage system to promote rainwater infiltration and the replenishment of water tables.
  • Transplantation of 583 trees.
  • Installation of 4,259 m2 of mobile noise-reduction barriers in sensitive areas, including near the Avenida de Dublín and the Valdebebas district.

Madring F1 circuit layout

The 5.4 km layout of the Madring circuit will feature 22 corners, and the estimated qualifying lap time is 1 minute and 32 seconds.

The circuit will feature elevation changes, with the cars climbing up to the Cárcavas neighborhood and the circuit’s highest point at 697 m for Turn 7, before then descending downhill through the fast and technical Bunker section, which is arguably the most complex part of the lap.

Turn 3, named Hortaleza after the neighborhood nearby, is a fast bend taken at full throttle before the drivers reach the fastest section of the track at Turn 4 with speeds of 340 km/h. They’ll then need to brake hard to hit 80 km/h for Turn 5, another chicane. The entire stretch from Turn 3 to Turn 5 is an 837-m straight path.

Turn 12 named La Monumental is a 24% banked bend that stretches 550 m.

The track has a tunnel before Turn 18, where guests will enjoy spectacular views ahead of the cars entering the slowest section of the circuit before returning to the main straight and crossing the line to complete the lap.

The Madring circuit will be located in the northeast of Madrid, on plots of land mostly belonging to IFEMA Madrid and a section of public roads.

A new global hub for motorsport

Madrid aims to not only provide a top-tier racing circuit but also a groundbreaking infrastructure never seen before in Formula 1. IFEMA Madrid will offer more than 200,000 m² of covered exhibition halls, 10,000 m² of multipurpose event spaces, and 10,000 parking spaces. 

The Madring venue is projected to have the capacity to host more than 110,000 fans per day across grandstand, general admission, and VIP hospitality, with plans to grow that capacity to 140,000 per day and establish Madrid one of the largest venues on the F1 calendar.

The event is expected to generate over $500 million in annual revenue and create more than 8,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Madrid also aims to set new standards in sustainability and accessibility. F1 is committed to reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and IFEMA Madrid shares the vision to make the Spanish Grand Prix one of the most sustainable F1 events of the season, having greatly reduced its carbon emissions over the last five years and moved to 100% certified renewable energy across all exhibition halls, while any temporary structure built for the race will be constructed using recyclable materials.

Located five minutes from the Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suarez airport, the Spanish Grand Prix will become one of the most accessible races on the F1 calendar, with the circuit just a short commute away by Metro, train, and city lines. It is estimated that 90% of fans will be able to travel to the paddock via public transport, while those staying in local accommodation will be a short walk away from the venue.