New city circuit in Madrid: Formula 1 would race around the Real training center

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Another street circuit! Formula 1 wants to expand further to the metropolises of the world. After the races in Las Vegas, Miami or Baku, Abu Dhabi and Singapore, the surprise is not another city race, but the location: Madrid.

So far, Formula 1 has continued to expand, especially in Asia and the US. Now also in Europe according to “Motorsport-Magazin”. The plans appear serious to hold the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid from 2026. There have been intensive discussions between F1 bosses and the investors in the project in recent months.

Approaching end for the GP in Barcelona

Apparently there won’t be a classic city route like the one in Las Vegas. The Madrid circuit should not run entirely on public roads, but partly on specially constructed parts of the route. Where? Just outside the city center, on an exhibition center and near the airport. The highlight of the planned track: it should be located directly at the Real Madrid training center and along the training fields of Jude Bellingham and Co.

The project from Madrid is bad news for the long-standing Spanish GP in Barcelona. Racing has taken place at the Circuit de Catalunya since 1991. Now it seems like goodbye. Because the Barcelona contract runs until 2026, two races can take place in Spain in that one year. Then it is of course Madrid’s turn.

This means that Formula 1 returns to the capital for the first time since 1981. At that time, the last of nine GPs took place on the permanent Jarama circuit, also located near Madrid airport. This circuit still exists, but is far too small for today’s F1 requirements.

The last Spanish city race was significantly less recent. The European GP took place in Valencia between 2009 and 2012. But the race was a flop, all that remains in Valencia’s memories are Mark Webber’s serious accident in 2010 and Michael Schumacher’s only Mercedes podium finish in 2012.

Does Madrid exude more charm than Valencia and Barcelona, ​​where despite a long tradition the GP never quite went beyond the staid image of a test track?

Source : Blick