New Madrid Circuit in 2026

Formula 1 has announced a new circuit will enter the calendar in Madrid, starting in 2026.

On January 23, 2024, Formula 1 announced a new track that will be used for the Spanish Grand Prix for an entire decade — starting in 2026. This decision has been met with serious backlash from supporters online for a variety of reasons, primarily being opposition to yet another street circuit added to the racing calendar. While it is stated that the reasoning is due to transportation issues, accommodations, and sustainability, many supporters feel that their voices are not being heard regarding the status and future of the sport.

In this, my first blog post, I am going to dive into the reasoning behind this decision, the reaction to the move, and the implications for the future of Formula 1.

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Reasoning Behind Decision

After nearly four decades without a race in the City of Madrid, the IFEMA (Insititución Ferial de Madrid) won a bid to host Formula 1 at a 5.47km purpose-built street circuit. The weekend is slated to bring around €450 million to the city’s economy on an annual basis, hosting more than 110,000 fans per day, with plans to increase to 140,000 in the first half of the contract. Just five minutes from the Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suarez Airport, proximity to local accommodation, and accessibility to public transportation, F1 and the FIA are touting it as a substantial step toward the sport’s 2030 Net Zero carbon goal. 

Reactions

With Formula 1’s recent growth, the influx of fans and resources, and the change in leadership (Liberty Media), the focus seems to be on the entertainment factor rather than the racing. Max Verstappen, current World Champion, even went as far as saying, “I think it's 99% show and 1% sport,” when asked about the changes being made like the addition of sprint races, street circuits, and events around the race weekends. Race purists feel the same, Max. 

With Madrid, a lot of the comments seem familiar but as many have pointed out, this move seems especially egregious. For one, the track is an awkward layout, with no long straights for overtaking, around a convention center, and miles from downtown — so there won’t be any cinematic shots as we saw from the Vegas GP. They don’t have any idea what the races will be like but signed a ten-year deal with the city, while most likely getting rid of a well-known circuit in the same country,

So why does it seem like Formula 1 is leaning into these street circuits? The answer is most likely a simple one: MONEY.

Future of Formula 1

As Lewis Hamilton famously said in DtS, “Cash is king.” From F1 forums to the drivers themselves, individuals around the sport are frustrated with the direction it’s taking. Racing in the middle of the desert to the parking lot around a stadium in Miami, it seems the decision-makers are following the money, rather than what is best for the sport. In the contract with Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the city paid $25 million per year to host; Madrid will be paying $45 million annually. It’s sadly as simple as that.

During the announcement of Madrid 2026, Stefano Domenicalli, President and CEO of F1 said, “It truly [epitomizes] Formula 1’s vision to create a multi-day spectacle of sport and entertainment that delivers maximum value for fans and embraces innovation and sustainability.” The cornerstone of F1, the driving force (no pun intended), is that it is the “pinnacle of motorsport”. Since its inception, it was meant to host the fastest cars, the best drivers, at the best tracks — driving innovation and technology to new heights. Today, the race weekend feels like something else.

After experiencing my first race in Austin in 2021, I was astonished by a few things. First was the transportation and coordination around the race — after a decade of hosting a race at COTA, the systems in place to get to and from the track were so ill-organized that I ate the rideshare costs on Saturday and Sunday. Second was the peripheral events during the weekend — the whole weekend seemed to be catering to the casual fan, with random concerts and activities. It felt like the entire experience was meant to capitalize on the recent popularity, rather than make life-long enthusiasts.

F1 and the FIA claim that the move to street circuits are in line with their environmental goals — being situated in cities with established public transportation results in easier event coordination. But with roughly 60 Grade One tracks available globally, you would think leadership would focus on upgrading infrastructure around these, rather than blocking off streets in a city. Some races today are held away from a major metropolis like Spa, Silverstone, and Nurburg, with attendees needing to camp or commute back and forth — but Zandvoort shows this is a surmountable hurdle with trains, buses, and bike trails. Leading up to the inaugural Las Vegas weekend, locals were extremely vocal about the congestion and headaches caused by the event, as it was hosted on one of the busiest roads in the world.

While only a quarter of the 2024 season will take place on “street circuits”, fans are concerned that this is the direction the sport is heading.