First Laps at Madrid's New F1 Circuit

Carlos Sainz took the first demonstration laps of Madrid’s new Madring circuit on May 16, giving Formula 1 and local organizers their clearest public look yet at the venue that will host the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix. Formula 1 said the Williams driver sampled the track ahead of the race’s debut in September, with onboard footage and promotional videos released across F1 and Madring channels. Fans then used those first images to debate the layout, barriers and sightlines, with motorsport outlets reporting a split reaction online. The event put a date and a visual reference on a project that Madrid says will return Formula 1 to the city for the first time in more than 45 years. ### What exactly did Sainz drive, and how much of the circuit is already visible? Formula 1 said Sainz completed a lap of the new circuit in Spain’s capital city, while Madring had previously announced a June 7 roadshow using a Williams FW45 on a nearly one-kilometre route through Ribera del Sena and part of Avenida del Partenón near IFEMA MADRID. The official F1 video described the circuit as edging closer to completion and showed Sainz touring the venue with broadcaster Lawrence Barretto. (formula1.com) Madring’s organizers have described the venue as a hybrid of permanent sections and public roads. Formula 1’s race page lists the circuit length at 5.416 km, while an earlier Madring announcement described a preliminary 5.474 km, 20-corner concept pending FIA homologation. ### Why are fans arguing about the layout before a race has even been held? (formula1.com) Motorsport.com reported on May 17 that fan reactions were split after the first laps, with debate focusing on whether the circuit looked distinctive enough and whether some spectator views would be affected by walls, fencing and trackside infrastructure. The publication said the early footage prompted both enthusiasm for a new street-style venue in Madrid and concern about how raceable or finished some sections appeared. (formula1.com) The first public images matter because Madrid is entering the calendar as a new event in a season that will also feature new technical rules. Formula 1 said the Madring will join the calendar for the first time in 2026, and its promotional material has presented the circuit as a mix of fast straights and more technical sections. (motorsport.com) ### What did Sainz say after seeing the track up close? Carlos Sainz told Motorsport.com that the circuit was “faster than it looks” after his first laps. The report said he pointed to several overtaking opportunities and high-speed sections, offering a more favorable early driver view than some of the online reaction. (formula1.com) Sainz’s role extends beyond a single promotional appearance. Motorsport.com described him as an ambassador for the event, and Formula 1’s coverage positioned his lap as a first-driver reference point for a venue that has not yet hosted a grand prix weekend. ### What is already fixed for the September race weekend? (motorsport.com) Formula 1’s official 2026 race page lists the Spanish Grand Prix weekend in Madrid from September 11 to 13, with the race scheduled for September 13. The same page gives the circuit distance as 5.416 km and the race distance as 308.524 km over 57 laps. Madring’s official site also says the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix will be held on September 13 at IFEMA MADRID, and its ticketing page says tickets for grandstands, lawn areas and VIP zones are already on sale. (motorsport.com) ### How big a return is this for Madrid? Madrid’s organizers said in March 2025 that the city had secured a 10-year deal to host the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 to 2035. That same announcement said Formula 1 would return to Madrid 45 years after its last grand prix in the city. (formula1.com) The next public test of the venue will come on the September 11-13 race weekend, when Formula 1’s schedule shows practice beginning on September 11 and the grand prix set for September 13 at IFEMA MADRID. (madring.com) (formula1.com) (madring.com)