Madrid will host the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix for the first time at the new Madring circuit from 11 to 13 September 2026, as the 14th round of the World Championship. The round returns championship racing to the Spanish capital after a 45-year absence, with the last race there held at the Jarama circuit in 1981.
Antonelli leads drivers’ standings by 66 points
Kimi Antonelli arrives in Madrid leading the drivers’ standings with 267 points, 66 points ahead of his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who is second on 201 points. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton is third on 191 points, followed by Lando Norris on 171 points.
Antonelli extended his lead by winning the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, becoming the first Italian driver to achieve the feat in 60 years. He started from 19th place before moving through the field and taking the lead from Russell with four laps remaining, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished behind the Mercedes pair.
The Monza race saw a red flag in its early stages following Charles Leclerc’s crash. Later, the virtual safety car allowed Antonelli to pit for new medium tyres, while Russell continued on used hard tyres before his teammate overtook him and secured the win.
Madring puts drivers to the test through 22 corners
The Madring circuit combines public roads with purpose-built racing sections around the IFEMA Madrid exhibition centre and the Valdebebas area. The track has 22 corners, including fast and tight sections, as well as elevation changes and heavy braking zones, with cars expected to reach around 340 kilometres per hour.
Teams enter the round without previous data from competitive races on the new circuit. The three free-practice sessions will give drivers and engineers the chance to study the track and car performance before qualifying on Saturday.
Madrid-born Carlos Sainz, who drives for Williams, will race in front of his home fans and also serves as an ambassador for the new Grand Prix. First practice starts on Friday at 2:30 p.m. Qatar time, followed by the second session at 6:00 p.m. The third session takes place on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., followed by qualifying at 5:00 p.m. The race starts on Sunday at 4:00 p.m., with coverage in the Middle East and North Africa on TOD by beIN.
