Official date of NEW F1 race confirmed

Madrid Grand Prix layout — Photo: © IMAGO

Latest F1 News

Official date of NEW F1 race confirmed

Madrid will host a new race in 2026

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 10 June 2025 17:57

The calendar for the 2026 F1 season has been confirmed, meaning that we now know the exact date of a new race set for its debut next year.

While the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya remains on the official schedule, it will no longer be the home of the Spanish Grand Prix, with the country's capital Madrid instead taking that mantle.

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The stunning new street circuit is set to take F1 by storm from 2026 onwards, with the track running past the glamorous IFEMA convention centre, as well as other landmarks in the famous city.

The sport confirmed the full 2026 calendar, with it being Imola that makes way for Madrid, and the Canadian and Monaco grands prix trading places on the schedule for environmental reasons.

For the second year in a row, the F1 season will kick off with a trip to Melbourne, before making stops in China, Japan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia before moving to North America and onto Europe.

When will the Madrid GP take place?

It's been confirmed that the new race around the streets of Madrid will take place on September 13 as round 16 of the 24-race calendar, sandwiched by the Italian and Azerbaijan grands prix respectively.

The new track is still subject to FIA circuit homologation, but the Mayor of Madrid recently confirmed that a construction licence had been granted for work to begin, a huge step for the project.

Due to the glamorous new location, the future of the race around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya remains in doubt, with 2026 being the last year of that particular contract.

Whether F1 ends up having a 23-race calendar in 2027, or another new track replaces Barcelona remains to be seen, or we could even see two Spanish races on the calendar for the foreseeable future, if Barcelona can get a new contract signed.

What will the Madrid F1 circuit look like?

The 5.47km street circuit will weave around the IFEMA exhibition centre in the Barajas district, just five minutes away from the Adolfo Suarez airport and 16 kilometres from the city centre.

The circuit promises fast sweeps, tight chicanes, and long straights. 20 corners will challenge drivers throughout the five kilometre course, offering four potential overtaking points. Expect an average speed of 218 km/h, with qualifying laps estimated to clock in at around one minute and 32 seconds.

The start/finish line in front of the Paddock Club will see drivers speed down the Ribera Del Sena, a long straight that gives them a chance to build up speed. As they approach the Valdebebas Tunnel, they must brake hard and prepare for the tight corners ahead.

Emerging from the Valdebebas Tunnel, the drivers face a series of challenging corners, starting with the Valdebebas Curve, which is a fast right-hander.

From there, the track winds its way through the heart of Madrid, past the IFEMA Madrid exhibition centre and other landmarks, before reaching the finish line.

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