New F1 track is 'illegal' claim furious locals, court challenge planned

Spanish Grand Prix

New F1 track is 'illegal' claim furious locals, court challenge planned

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Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Sunday 30 August 2026 18:45

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Madrid locals are continuing their protests against the forthcoming Spanish Grand Prix, with some calling the brand new Madring circuit 'illegal'.

Initial work on the track began more than a year ago, alongside protests from local residents who objected (and continue to object) to the circuit's construction and the plans for a full-on F1 race weekend, which is now only two weeks away.

Constantino Blanco, spokesperson for the Stop F1 Madrid group, has now predicted that the noise created by the race will cause a 'public health problem', calling the circuit and race an affront to the neighbourhood.

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Issues with noise levels in Madrid are taken seriously, with Real Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium cancelling all concerts since legal proceedings were brought against them for excessive noise levels during concerts in 2024.

The club and the company managing the stadium were cleared of criminal liability in May of 2026, but concerts have still not returned - because the judges didn't rule that the noise levels weren't excessive, rather that the responsibility for regulation breaches would fall on individual concert organisers rather than the owners or operators of the stadium.

GPFans understands that noise levels were officially monitored during the testing period, and that organisers believe they remained within the levels specified in the event's license.

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Madrid local: The Madring is an affront to the neighbourhood

Blanco has dubbed Spanish Grand Prix race day (Sunday September 13) as 'the day of reckoning', and appears to be preparing to measure the noise levels in the neighbourhood to bring a legal case against the race being held.

"Noise is a crime that can be reported to the courts," he told local news source Hortaleza Periodico Vecinal, "because it is a physical assault within our homes, a crime for which someone will have to answer."

He continued: "We had a meeting with IFEMA (Madrid's trade fair organization) and they admitted they didn't have a solution for the noise that the homes closest to the circuit will have to endure. According to their figures, it will be 95 decibels. And 95 decibels is 1,000 times louder than the legal limit.

"It's not just the noise; it's an invasion of your private space, your home. It's an affront. The circuit itself is an affront to the neighbourhood, and the residents of Las Cárcavas are going to have a public health problem that weekend."

GPFans has contacted the Madring for comment.

'Undeniable' silent majority oppose Madring

Faced with the suggestion that locals didn't seem to be overwhelmingly against the race, Blanco said: "People aren't openly expressing their disapproval. There's a kind of silent majority that's against it, undeniably, and we can see it. These are people who don't want to go out because it's uncomfortable to take a public stance.

"It's already hard to find anyone in the neighbourhood who supports the circuit. Then there's another issue: people believe nothing can be done about it. Why waste energy trying to stop it?"

He continued: "What we're doing is putting pressure on them, explaining that the Formula 1 project has its flaws, because forcing a circuit into the neighbourhood is illegal and has enormous legal loopholes.

"Furthermore, that silent majority, once the 'event' is over, might speak out more publicly, and we're here on this platform to mobilise and channel that discontent , which will eventually bring down this absurd project. Because we're going to gather evidence to file a complaint."

F1 Spanish Grand Prix