The street racing trend in Formula 1 continues. On Tuesday, the racing series presented a new course in its portfolio: at the trade fair in the Spanish capital Madrid. From 2026 there will initially be room for over 100,000 spectators, with plans to expand to 140,000 seats in the following years. However, reactions to the conclusion of the contract have been muted, particularly on social media.
As it stands, the circuit will replace the very popular, traditional Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, whose contract with Formula 1 expires in 2026. Last season, with eight city circuits, there were more road races than ever before in this class. While for Formula 1 the central location and in particular the associated event opportunities for the
Some people complain that the character of the highest motorsport class is lost as a result. Before the Grand Prix in Las Vegas last year, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone said something like this. World champion Max Verstappen criticized the course of the route and said more focus had been placed on the show.
Overtaking is rare on city routes due to the narrowness of the streets. To compensate, there are usually very long straights on which overtaking is possible – but this is aided by the DRS system, which gives the car a boost. This only has to a limited extent to do with driving skills. Things are different on classic routes where skills count more. However, they seem to be disappearing more and more from the racing calendar. A user therefore writes on Instagram: “Enough of city routes, we want real routes like the Nürburgring, Sepang etc.”
In contrast to new tracks in recent F1 history such as Miami or Las Vegas, the track in Madrid is not centrally located. The trade fair is located around 16 kilometers from the center. People still drive on the road – at least some of the time. The layout of the route has already been published on Instagram. It is 5,474 meters long, consists of 20 curves, there are only two longer straights and one lap should be completed in 1.32 minutes.
Formula 1 is of course enthusiastic about the new race, it “really embodies Formula 1’s vision of creating a multi-day sports and entertainment spectacle that offers fans maximum added value and combines innovation and sustainability,” said managing director Stefano Domenicali in a statement. The race is expected to bring 450 million euros per year to the Spanish capital’s economy. The racing class also brings the topic of sustainability into play as a factor for the new route. Accordingly, 90 percent of spectators should come to the course by public transport. The contract for the new route is valid until 2035.
Sources: Formula 1; DPA
