Formula 1 is preparing a GP on the streets of Madrid from 2026

Madrid’s contacts with Formula 1 are at an advanced stage to host the GP on the streets of the Spanish capital and the ten-year deal could be finalized in the coming weeks. Last March, the Spanish registered the names Formula 1 Madrid Grand Prix and Madrid Grand Prix as registered trademarks.

According to the plan, the agreement would see the Madrid GP held from 2026 to at least 2035 on a road circuit around the IFEMA convention center complex in the northeast and close to the city’s airport.

The start/finish straight and paddock will be centered around the main IFEMA building, while the circuit will pass Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training center and the Mad Cool music festival site, while also using a section of the M11 motorway.

The plan to organize the game in the Spanish capital involves Fernando Alonso’s former manager Luis García Abad with the support of the city of Madrid. The efforts of the project investors are focused on covering the costs exclusively with private capital, as – thanks to Alonso, but also Carlos Sainz at Ferrari – the country’s interest in Formula 1 has skyrocketed. 125,565 spectators came to this year’s Barcelona GP.

However, the Madrid deal will threaten the Catalan race’s place on the F1 calendar. Barcelona is contracted to F1 until 2026, however, F1 boss Stefano Domenicali said “Never say never in life, but having two games in Spain is very complicated.”

If the plans for the Madrid GP are put into action, there will be two races on the program in Spain in 2026 – as in 2008/12, with the addition of the GP on the streets of Valencia. But with places for European games becoming increasingly scarce, Barcelona’s situation from 2027 is extremely precarious.