By Millie Canavan Rossin
Madrid is due to join the Formula 1 calendar in 2026.
The contract is signed. The date is there. But the circuit itself is not finished yet. That is why the question keeps coming up.
Is it actually secure?
The agreement
In January 2024, Formula 1 confirmed a deal with IFEMA Madrid to host a Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 until 2035.
The race is planned around the IFEMA exhibition centre near Madrid-Barajas airport.
Organisers unveiled a 5.47 kilometre layout with 20 corners, combining public roads with newly built sections.
F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali described it as part of the sport’s strategy to race in major global cities. Spanish driver Carlos Sainz Jr. attended the launch and backed the
project publicly.
There has been no official cancellation. No postponement. The race remains on the
calendar.
Why the doubt exists
Because the track is not built yet.
Before any venue can host Formula 1, it must receive FIA Grade 1 homologation. That involves inspection of safety barriers, run off areas, medical facilities, paddock infrastructure and the racing surface. Approval is only granted once every requirement is met.
Until that approval happens, no race can take place.
Madrid’s layout will partly use public roads, which means coordination with city authorities and completion of environmental and administrative procedures. These steps are standard
for a development of this scale, but they leave little room for delay.
Street races are not simple projects. Recent additions to the calendar have shown how tight the build-up can be before a debut event.
That context explains the scrutiny. It does not confirm a problem.
Where it stands now:
Officially, nothing has changed.
Madrid is scheduled to host a Grand Prix in 2026 under its agreement through 2035.
Formula 1 has given no indication that the race is under threat.
However, the project is still in its delivery phase. Construction must be completed and the FIA must grant final approval before cars line up on the grid.
That is normal for a first-time street race. But it also means progress over the next year will be decisive.
Right now, the position is clear. The deal exists. The race is planned. The circuit still needs to be finished and certified.
If that happens on schedule, Madrid joins the calendar in 2026. If it does not, Formula 1 will have a decision to make.
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