Race week is here, and this time, we’re heading somewhere Formula 1 has never raced before. For the first time ever, the F1 grid will take on the streets of Madrid as the brand-new Madring makes its debut on the calendar.
A new circuit means a new challenge for every driver and team. There are no previous race results to look back on, no proven strategies and no real benchmark for what to expect. Everyone starts with a clean slate.
From the fast opening section to the challenging corners and the unique La Monumental section, the Madring is set to bring something completely new to Formula 1. But what exactly makes this circuit so special, and which drivers could thrive on a track where experience counts for almost nothing?
Let’s take a closer look at everything you need to know ahead of the very first Madrid Grand Prix.
Madring
For the first time, Formula 1 is heading to Madrid, and with it comes a completely new circuit: the Madring. But this is not your typical street circuit. Combining public roads with permanent sections, the track is designed to offer the feeling of both a street circuit and a traditional race track, similar to the concept seen at the Miami International Autodrome.
The Madring features 22 corners and a mix of slow, technical sections, tight street-style chicanes and faster, flowing corners. Especially in Sector 2, the circuit opens up and gives the drivers some high-speed sections, with cars expected to reach very high speeds on the straights.
One of the biggest talking points is La Monumental, a spectacular 550-metre-long banked section with a maximum gradient of 24%. That makes it longer and faster than the famous banked corner at Zandvoort and one of the most unique features on the entire F1 calendar.
The circuit also features significant elevation changes, adding another challenge for the drivers as they try to find the perfect balance between speed, stability and precision. With its combination of street-circuit characteristics, high-speed sections and the unique La Monumental, the Madring is certainly set to make a memorable debut on the Formula 1 calendar
Can we expect overtaking?
With a brand-new circuit, one of the biggest questions is whether the Madring will actually allow for good racing and overtaking. While we will have to wait until the first Grand Prix to see how the cars perform in real race conditions, the layout already features several promising overtaking opportunities.
The first major opportunity comes at Turn 1. Cars will approach the braking zone at more than 320 km/h after the 589-metre main straight before slowing down to around 100 km/h for the corner. With the cars starting just over 200 metres from Turn 1, this could already create some exciting battles at the very beginning of the race.
Another important overtaking zone is Turn 5. After Turn 3, the drivers head onto the circuit's longest straight, which stretches for 837 metres. They can reach more than 300 km/h before having to brake heavily for Turn 5, making this one of the most obvious places to attack.
There is also a potential overtaking opportunity at Turn 13, immediately after La Monumental. Drivers exit the 550-metre banked section at more than 300 km/h before braking down to around 140 km/h for the slow right-hander. The circuit itself describes Turn 13 as a clear overtaking spot, while a good exit is important for the fast section that follows.
Finally, Turn 17 could provide another chance to make a move. After the fast Valdebebas section, drivers brake from around 280 km/h to approximately 100 km/h, creating another significant change in speed.
So, while we cannot know yet how easy overtaking will actually be, the Madring certainly hasn't been designed without opportunities to attack. With long straights followed by heavy braking zones, there should be several places where drivers can try to make a move.
Tyres & race strategy
Pirelli expects a two-stop race
The brand-new Madring may be new to Formula 1, but Pirelli has already made its first predictions. For the Spanish Grand Prix, the medium tyre range will be available: C2 Hard, C3 Medium and C4 Soft.
Based on simulations, Pirelli expects the loads on the tyres to be comparable to those seen at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps. With the possibility of high temperatures increasing the risk of overheating, Pirelli believes a two-stop strategy could be the preferred option for the race.
Of course, with no previous F1 race at the Madring, teams will have to learn a lot during practice before they know exactly how the tyres will behave.
F1 returns to Madrid after 45 years
Although the Madring is completely new, Formula 1 actually has a history in Madrid. The Spanish capital last hosted a World Championship Grand Prix in 1981, when the Circuito del Jarama held its final F1 race.
Jarama hosted the Spanish Grand Prix nine times between 1968 and 1981. The very first F1 race there was won by Graham Hill in 1968, while the final race in 1981 produced one of the most memorable victories in the circuit's history.
Villeneuve won for Ferrari from seventh on the grid, holding off several cars in an incredibly close finish.
Now, 45 years later, Formula 1 is returning to Madrid. But instead of returning to the historic Jarama circuit, the sport is entering a completely new era with the semi-urban Madring. So while this may be the first-ever Madrid Grand Prix at the Madring, it is far from the first time the Spanish capital has welcomed Formula 1.
From construction site to race track
It is easy to forget just how new the Madring really is. Only a few weeks ago, photos of the circuit still showed a huge amount of construction work, with parts of the track and surrounding facilities seemingly still far from race-ready. Now, the circuit is ready to welcome Formula 1 for its very first Grand Prix.
The track itself was completed in August, after more than a year of construction, while the final preparations around the circuit – including grandstands, hospitality areas, fan zones and access points – continued right up until the final weeks before the race.
19 red flags during tests at the Madring
The first proper test gave us a glimpse of just how challenging this circuit could be. Formula 3 cars took to the Madring in August for the first major running on the new track. Across the two days, there were 19 red flags, with ten different drivers finding the barriers.
Of course, F3 cars and Formula 1 cars are very different, so these incidents do not necessarily mean we should expect the same chaos during the Grand Prix. But they do show that the Madring has some unforgiving sections and with the walls close to the track, even a small mistake could have big consequences. For Formula 1, there will be almost no previous data to rely on. The teams will have to learn the circuit quickly, making this first-ever Madrid Grand Prix an especially interesting challenge.
Not everyone is excited about F1 in Madrid
While the arrival of Formula 1 has been welcomed by many, not everyone is excited about the new race. Local residents and environmental groups have protested against the Madring, raising concerns about noise, traffic and the impact on the surrounding area.
The group Stop F1 Madrid has organised several protests against the Grand Prix, showing that the event has also been controversial among some people living near the circuit.
What time does the Spanish grand prix start?
Free Practice 1
- Las Vegas (PDT): 4:30 AM
- London (BST): 12:30 PM
- Berlin (CEST): 1:30 PM
- Moscow (MSK): 2:30 PM
- Dubai (GST): 3:30 PM
- India (IST): 5:00 PM
- China (CST): 7:30 PM
- Singapore (SGT): 7:30 PM
- Tokyo (JST): 8:30 PM
- Melbourne (AEST): 9:30 PM
- New York (EDT): 7:30 AM
Free Practice 2
- Las Vegas (PDT): 8:00 AM
- London (BST): 4:00 PM
- Berlin (CEST): 5:00 PM
- Moscow (MSK): 6:00 PM
- Dubai (GST): 7:00 PM
- India (IST): 9:30 PM
- China (CST): 11:00 PM
- Singapore (SGT): 11:00 PM
- Tokyo (JST): 12:00 AM
- Melbourne (AEST): 1:00 AM
- New York (EDT): 11:00 AM
Free Practice 3
- Las Vegas (PDT): 3:30 AM
- London (BST): 11:30 AM
- Berlin (CEST): 12:30 PM
- Moscow (MSK): 1:30 PM
- Dubai (GST): 2:30 PM
- India (IST): 4:00 PM
- China (CST): 6:30 PM
- Singapore (SGT): 6:30 PM
- Tokyo (JST): 7:30 PM
- Melbourne (AEST): 8:30 PM
- New York (EDT): 6:30 AM
Qualifying
- Las Vegas (PDT): 7:00 AM
- London (BST): 3:00 PM
- Berlin (CEST): 4:00 PM
- Moscow (MSK): 5:00 PM
- Dubai (GST): 6:00 PM
- India (IST): 8:30 PM
- China (CST): 10:00 PM
- Singapore (SGT): 10:00 PM
- Tokyo (JST): 11:00 PM
- Melbourne (AEST): 12:00 AM
- New York (EDT): 10:00 AM
Grand Prix
- Las Vegas (PDT): 6:00 AM
- London (BST): 2:00 PM
- Berlin (CEST): 3:00 PM
- Moscow (MSK): 4:00 PM
- Dubai (GST): 5:00 PM
- India (IST): 7:30 PM
- China (CST): 9:00 PM
- Singapore (SGT): 9:00 PM
- Tokyo (JST): 10:00 PM
- Melbourne (AEST): 11:00 PM
- New York (EDT): 9:00 AM
