Madrid’s new Madring opens this weekend for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix after a three-year design effort and 17 months of construction led by Jarno Zaffelli’s Dromo.
The 5.4-km street circuit uses 1.5 km of public roads, runs through IFEMA and Valdebebas, and centers on “La Monumental” — a turn with a 24% gradient that is the calendar’s second steepest.
Zaffelli said the layout was designed to avoid the usual processional feel of street races, with cars expected to top 300 kph and grandstands placed close to the track for a stadium-like atmosphere.
Skepticism remains after a Formula 3 test produced 19 red flags, with some designers warning blind corners could limit overtaking and make drivers cautious on a circuit new to the entire F1 field.
Supporters counter that F3 incidents may overstate the risk, and the debut adds Madrid to Formula 1’s recent run of new city-center races aimed at drawing fresh fans.