The Williams Esports team has afforded fans an early glimpse of the all-new Madrid Formula 1 circuit, via a virtual onboard lap of the layout.
Madrid was announced on Tuesday as the future home of the Spanish Grand Prix, securing a 10-year deal to host the event from 2026 onwards.
The circuit will be a semi-permanent street layout based around the IFEMA convention centre featuring 20 corners, across 5.47km with a predicted lap time of 1:32s.
Unique features of the layout include two passes underneath a high-rise motorway and the inclusion of a banked curve, reminiscent of Zandvoort’s layout.
The Williams ESports squad shared a track simulation of the Madrid layout created by Nukedrop, which was uploaded to social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The first half of the lap features a blend of chicanes, fast straights, inclines and the aforementioned banked curve at Turn 10.
The second half of the lap is more reminiscent of recent street additions such as Miami, with a complex series of short straights and challenging corners.
How the 2026 generation of Formula 1 cars adapt to the layout, which is still subject to FIA homologation and yet to break ground, remains to be seen at this stage.
Still, Madrid’s inclusion on the 2026 calendar will mean eight races out of a potential 24 will be on street circuits and the outgoing Barcelona circuit that currently holds the GP, whilst not a consistent venue for exciting racing, is perfectly suited to the high-speed, high-downforce abilities that F1 cars possess.
Madrid will join Las Vegas (2023 debut), Miami (2022 debut), Saudia Arabia (2021 debut), Azerbaijan (2016 debut), Singapore (2008 debut), Australia (1996 Debut) and Monaco (1950) debut in F1’s legion of street venues.
Regardless of whether the racing product delivers an exciting spectacle, a large proportion of these venues also have long-term deals to host F1.
Madrid’s 10-year contract is similar to the stay on the calendar that Las Vegas is proposing, Miami signed a 10-year deal starting in 2022, as did Saudi Arabia starting in 2021 and Australia’s contract sees its place on the F1 calendar assured through 2037.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali hasn’t ruled out Barcelona remaining on the GP calendar for 2026 and beyond, but with the current schedule at 24 races and other regions looking to take a slice of the F1 money machine, it remains doubtful that two Spanish Grands Prix will be supported.
Another traditional F1 venue that is now meeting a rival street circuit bid is Suzuka, the well-loved host of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Last week, Osaka declared its interest in hosting a GP with a venue similar to Madrid and Miami’s, i.e. a semi-permanent street circuit.
Madrid’s confirmation and Osaka’s interest form part of a growing trend of cities attracting the attention of Formula One Management and would-be Grand Prix promoters.
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