MADRING: Madrid’s Race to be Ready for F1 Debut

How is construction work progressing at the MADRING? We take a look at the latest updates from Madrid ahead of this September’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Formula 1’s first visit to the new MADRING circuit in Spanish capital Madrid is set for mid-September. The new track, which combines existing roads with purpose-built sections, is located at the IFEMA Madrid exhibition centre and will become one of the sport’s most accessible circuits, located close to Madrid Airport in the northwest of the city.

The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix will be the sport’s first visit to Madrid since 1981, when the Jarama circuit, around 30km north of the city centre, last hosted the event. F1’s latest tenure in the city is expected to create 8,000 jobs and attract 80,000 tourists annually to the region.

Construction work at the new track began in May 2025 – but doubts have been consistently raised that it will not be completed in time for its debut on the Formula 1 calendar on September 11-13. Race organisers insist that the venue will be ready for its inaugural race in just over 150 days time.

80,000 Tickets Already Sold

Earlier in the year, it was confirmed that 80,000 tickets for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix had already sold. Ticket sales for the race began in September 2025, with pre-sale purchases alone reportedly raising in excess of €34 million. The venue is expected to have a capacity of around 110,000 for its first appearance, with plans to expand total capacity to 140,000 in the coming years.

Ticket sales have been impressive for the new event, especially given that the race will co-exist with the Barcelona Grand Prix on this year’s schedule. Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, former host of the Spanish Grand Prix from 1991 to 2025, remains on the calendar in 2026 before entering into a rotational deal with Spa-Francorchamps from 2027 onwards. Confirmed in February, the Barcelona track will stage an F1 race in 2028, 2030 and 2032.

Bronze, Silver and Gold Grandstand tickets for the race weekend remain available via our supplier, with 3-day prices starting at under €700. Premium ticket packages sold via F1 Experiences are already sold out.

Construction Work Continues

Construction of the MADRING circuit began in May 2025. Work is being carried out by ACCIONA and Eiffage Construction, who are jointly responsible for the installation and dismantling of temporary structures and the restoration of public roads to their original state after each race weekend.

The pit building and paddock complex, including the exclusive Paddock Club, have been under construction since November. Asphalting of the track began in February, with the circuit’s showpiece – La Monumental, a 550-metre turn with 24% banking – becoming one of the last parts of track to be paved in March, owing to its complex and specialised nature. This is the first of three layers of asphalt to be laid at the track, with work continuing on the second layer throughout April.

Notably, the MADRING circuit will have no manhole covers anywhere on the track. Manholes on street circuits have proven to be problematic at other venues on the calendar, especially at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where essential work led to the curtailing of practice sessions in both 2023 and 2025. In Madrid, manhole covers on existing urban roads have been removed and rerouted to avoid potential complications.

In sustainability efforts, trees removed from the area have been relocated and replanted elsewhere in Madrid, while construction huts are powered by renewable energy. Excess soil from earthworks around the construction area has been repurposed to shape the La Monumental banking – which has in turn reduced the need for heavy road transport on site.

Speaking earlier this month, Luis García Abad, head of the MADRING project, noted the appeal of Formula 1 racing in a major European city:

“People come to spend a weekend, and no matter how many cars we have – F1, F2, and F3 – there are only 14 hours of racing. The rest is for eating, drinking, shopping, having fun, enjoying the afternoon, dancing… after the 54 laps of the race, we’re going to offer Madrid. It will be a key city for the event; it’s important to be able to hold a race in a major European capital. F1 doesn’t know Madrid, and now that we’re bringing it here, they can’t imagine what Madrid can offer F1.”

Will the MADRING be ready for its September debut?

If you scroll through social media on any given day, you will likely see new speculation that the Madrid track will not be ready for its September debut. The Madrid project is ambitious and deadlines are likely to be pushed to their limit but, as of now, there is no credible evidence that construction work is behind schedule despite the persistent speculation.

The only slight seed of doubt from an official source has been from Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who – speaking to Autosport earlier this year – said that “Madrid is a semi-permanent track that is working to be ready this year”, phrasing that stops short of an outright guaranteed debut.

In reality, the venue appears to be at a similar stage to other recent street track constructions – in Jeddah and Miami – when they were six months away from hosting their inaugural event. The key difference is not the pace of construction but rather the environment in which it is taking place. Unlike Miami and Jeddah, tracks which were constructed in already-developed areas, the MADRING sits within a partially undeveloped urban area of the city, which creates a visual impression that the project is less advanced than it actually is.

Last year, Domenicali noted that Imola – host of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from 2020 to 2025 – is the “first reserve” should any event be unable to go ahead in 2026. The option was not taken to replace the recently cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix due to short notice and potential logistical complications.

The current work is expected to be completed by the end of May, before the final preparations are made. The final layer of asphalt will be laid, the curbing will be installed, and the pit and Paddock Club buildings will be completed during the next phase of the project, which is expected to begin on June 1. Progress at the MADRING site will continue to be keenly observed as the days tick down to its September debut.