'What a horror!' - Pictures of new F1 track emerge and fans are not impressed

Spanish Grand Prix

'What a horror!' - Pictures of new F1 track emerge and fans are not impressed

Race day is now less than a month away

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Saturday 15 August 2026 18:45 Updated: 13:58

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The first Spanish Grand Prix set to be held at the new Madring circuit is now under one month away, but F1 fans are not impressed by what they have seen so far.

Madrid was officially awarded an F1 contract in January 2024, with construction later getting underway on the Madring in April 2025.

Tickets for the event are already sold out, with thousands of F1 fans set to descend on the Spanish capital for the race. However, there is only one problem - the venue is not yet complete.

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F1 fans question Madring after latest pictures emerge

TikTok user _Dronearte shared the latest images from the Madring, with his drone providing an aerial view on the circuit's latest developments.

The video shows that the circuit continues to be under construction, with the track paved and in place, but plenty of work to do around it. Things such as grandstands are not all yet fully erected, while around the track, there remain large open areas that some have compared to a desert.

"What a horror!! F1 shouldn't allow these circuits," one user wrote on X.

Another added: "Taking shape???? The asphalt looks good but the rest is horrific, it looks like the desert. I have a feeling they won't finish it and it'll be a Valencia 2.0. The access roads have got to be top-notch."

The 'desert' referred to here is set to be the Madring's fan zone, which covers more than 250,000 square metres (the largest in F1). GPFans understands this will be one of the final areas to be completed.

"Mind-boggling that a state that already has some of the best circuits in the world dumped millions into this. Idc if it puts on a good race. Just a massive waste of money that could go elsewhere to actually improve people’s lives," another X user angrily wrote.

One fan even wants to see the race postponed until next season: "I thought we'd gone through that phase around 2010 where new venues were still being finished as the weekend got underway. "Put it back a year and have a race at a ready-made track somewhere else nearby... Estoril or Portimao or Paul Ricard."

Madring confident venue will be ready

The clock is now ticking on the track to get finished in time for next month's race, but despite fans' concerns, IFEMA Madrid, the event's organiser, are confident that the venue will be ready in time to host the Spanish Grand Prix next month.

In fact, to avoid the kind of issues seen at Markham this past weekend in the NTT IndyCar Series, the Madring will hold an F3 test at the track later this month (August 24-25) to ensure that all functions of the venue are performing as intended.

GPFans understands that construction of the venue remains fully on schedule and is progressing in line with the established plan, with the track already finished and in place, and most work on the grandstands already complete.

It's set to be a busy few weeks ahead, no doubt, but rest assured that despite some fan concern, everything is on track to be completed in time for next month's race.

@_dronearte
Madring, circuito urbano de carreras ubicado en la zona de IFEMA-Valdebebas, dentro de la ciudad de Madrid, actualmente en construcción, a un mes de su inauguración #Dron #Drone #Madring #F1 #Dji @madringf1construction @madring_oficial @stopf1madrid @madring_forceclub
♬ sonido original - Dronearte

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