The return of the Formula 1 Madrid is now a reality. The ‘Great Circus’ will return to the capital in 2026 with a semi-urban circuit and a ten-year contract for the Spanish GP. The aspiration achieved and confirmed with the presentation of the project at the Ifema fairgrounds. An event that will be the nerve center of the test and which was attended by the CEO of F1 himself, Stefano Domenicali; the president of Ifema and great architect of the project, José Vicente de los Mozos; in addition to institutional authorities such as Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid; and José Luis Martínez-Almeida, leader of the Madrid council and José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, president of the CSD.
It will be the 2026 Spanish GP, the name used throughout the event’s corporate image. This calls for the test that currently receives this name and is being held in Montmeló. The current Spanish GP has a contract until 2026, when Madrid will debut on the calendar, although the Generalitat claims to be fighting for the continuity of the event in Catalonia.
This is the semi-urban circuit of Madrid
The most relevant unknown was the one that affected how the layout proposal. The semi-urban circuit will have a length of 5,474 kilometers and 20 curves. The estimated time to complete the track, according to Formula 1 itself, is 1 minutes 2.45 seconds. The project has been designed by Jarno Zafelli, in charge of remodeling the Zandvoort circuit (Netherlands). It has banks to generate greater chances of overtaking, one of the weak points of the new routes. The capacity forecast is 110,000 daily viewers, with the idea of increasing it to 140,000.
“It will be the only Formula 1 circuit with a covered paddock. It is a hybrid project – pending confirmation of homologation – with environmental savings. A zero carbon footprint is guaranteed. There will be four overtaking zones and a top speed of 300 km/h with two tunnels. In addition to a slope of ten meters and a spectacular curve. A real challenge for the drivers,” Jarno Zafelli, CEO of Dromo, who is in charge of the circuit design, commented at the presentation.
The figures with which the Madrid GP wants to be “the best in F1”: 500 million returns, 10,000 jobs, 54,000 tourists…
“This idea stems from the need to look for alternative uses for a venue like Ifema as a result of the pandemic. We had to think outside the box, with an innovative concept. We wanted to create a unique experience for fans. We could only fit into the calendar with ambition. This will be the grand prize of a European capital. It is a very powerful tool,” defended José Vicente de los Mozos, president of Ifema and the great promoter of this sporting event.
The best connected grand prize
The former CEO of Renault Spain, among other positions, emphasized Ifema’s “unique facilities”: 200,000 square meters, 15,000 meters of multipurpose meetings, 10,000 parking spaces…”It will be the best connected grand prize, with public transportation to all parts of the city“claimed De los Mozos, who, like the rest of the representatives who arrived at the event, took a photo leaving the metro station near Ifema.
For his part, Stefano Domenicali, CEO of F1, wanted to begin his speech by congratulating Carlos Sainz on his victory in the Dakar. “It is an example of the great motor tradition that exists in Spain,” defended the Italian, who spoke, precisely, of the “motivation that this Madrid Grand Prix will provide for Carlos Sainz Jr. and for Fernando Alonso. He will surely want to continue.” . Finally, Domenicali highlighted that “this event will be history of Formula 1“, demonstrating the conjunction between the parties.
In Ifema you could feel the return of Formula 1, with the buses that circulated in the surrounding areas decorated with posters announcing the return of the ‘Great Circus’ to the capital with a planned date, but confirmed in the advertising materials: 2026. The venue fair was prepared for an exhibition, anticipating the steps it will take to become the nerve center of a semi-urban circuit. An increasingly common modality in the philosophy of F1.
It will run through the streets of Valdebebas, a district north of Madrid, where the Real Madrid sports city is also based. The city’s businesses enthusiastically welcome an addition to the calendar that will mean a important economic injection for the capital over the next decade. Initial calculations point to the generation of 10,000 jobs, 500 million euros as annual return or 54,000 foreign tourists.
Return of F1 to Madrid after 45 years
The 2026 race will be the first F1 race in Madrid since 1981, when Jarama hosted the World Cup for the last time. Hence, the welcome provided by all the grand prize creatives is based on the ‘Welcome back’ as a ‘claim’. It is, therefore, proof that combines tradition with modernity that gives you the concept of the show. This is a maxim that its promoters have pursued to fulfill the meaning that drives a competition where entertainment is fundamental.
There are several routes that have inspired the Madrid GP. Among them, Miami and the entire North American sphere, which until not so long ago was alien to F1. However, the global approach of the World Cup has allowed the competition to conquer other territories. The new Spanish GP breaks the dynamic focused on emerging markets and achieves a full-fledged grand prix in Europe.
From Alonso’s last dance to the oldest Sainz
2026 is a symbolic year, both for Madrid and for F1. The new grand prix in Spain, whose coexistence with the Spanish GP held in Barcelona remains to be seen, It could be one of the last dances of Fernando Alonso. This season the new regulations will be implemented and, by then, Honda will begin its alliance with Aston Martin. A cursed brand for the Asturian, but one that is currently preparing the power units for the champion Red Bull. In fact, the proclaimed ambition is to take “a big leap” with Alonso as captain.
Then, Carlos Sainz will have reached seniority at the controls, predictably, of a Ferrari, a team with which he has a contract until 2024, although his wish is to renew with the ‘Scuderia’ until, precisely, 2026. “The most important thing is that the Spanish race is a success wherever it is held. As a driver, it matters more to me than the test is one of the best in the World Cup,” he said at a recent event. They will be two of the ambassadors of a grand prix that will reinforce Madrid’s role as a venue for major sporting events with a revolutionary project that will take advantage of the rules of F1 and expand its concept of ‘show business’.
2024-01-23 11:10:48
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