The mayor of Madrid has maintained that the work going into next year’s planned Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix is progressing “as planned”.
The Spanish capital has a deal in place to host a race for 10 years, beginning with 2026, on a part-street, part-permanent circuit, which will be just over three miles in length, and will also incorporate the IFEMA convention centre.
Local authorities have 14 months in which to begin its construction, and given the race is scheduled for September [as opposed to Spain’s normal Springtime race], there is still more than enough time for the work to begin.
However, there appears to be a battle for which organisation will be tasked with leading the construction, with three business conglomerates and two construction companies having applied to the organisers and city council.
Jose Luis Marintez-Almeida, speaking to Europa Press, pleaded for “calm,” and added the race “will be held and will be a success.”
The mayor also said that everybody concerned is “very intensely to be able to make it a reality” and insisted everything is “as planned”.
Madrid set to be the fifth Spanish Grand Prix location
The Spanish Grand Prix has been hosted at the Circuit de-Barcelona Catalunya since 1991, and whilst the length of Madrid’s contract suggests its assertion as the new fixed venue, F1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali has previously said the circuit will be taken into consideration in the future.
“For the avoidance of doubt and to clarify here, the fact we are in Madrid is not excluding the fact we could stay in Barcelona for the future,” he said.
“Looking ahead, there are discussions in place to see if we can really extend our collaboration with Barcelona, with whom we have a very good relationship, for the future.”
In the World Championship era, the Spanish Grand Prix has been held at three other venues. Initially, it was held at the Jarama circuit in Madrid [recently dusted-off for Formula E’s pre-season testing programme], before moving to another street venue in Montjuic Park.
The circuit hosted the race four times, before being shelved after the 1975 race in which four spectators were killed by Rolf Stommelen’s Embassy Hill vaulted the barriers and landing within a space in which they were situated.
After a four-year gap off the calendar, Spain returned in 1986 at Jerez and remained there for five years before the then-brand-new Catalunya layout was used.
Spain has also seen another street circuit on the F1 calendar previously with the European Grand Prix moving to the streets of Valencia between 2008 and 2012.
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