Spanish GP Moves to Madrid, First Race at Madring
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 7, 2026
Madrid move
Madrid will take over as the Spanish Grand Prix host, and Formula 1 will race at the new Madring circuit for the first time. The move ends Barcelona-Catalunya’s run as the venue for Spain’s round and sends the event to a track built around the Ifema Exhibition Center. Madrid will host a Formula 1 grand prix for the first time since Jarama last staged the race, and the Spanish Grand Prix will again sit inside the championship’s European swing. It will also be the second Formula 1 race in Spain, following the Barcelona Grand Prix earlier in the season. That gives the Spanish stop a different look and a different setting, with the series shifting from a familiar venue to a circuit that has not yet been part of the world championship calendar. The new assignment puts added attention on Madrid from the start, because the race arrives with a clean slate and no past Formula 1 form to compare against.
Madring layout
The Madring measures 5.47 kilometers and features about 20 corners, along with a 24% banked corner that should stand out to drivers and teams. The track blends street-circuit and road-course sections, which gives it a varied layout and a mix of walls, curves and open-running segments. That design also points toward a tough race for overtaking. Passing is expected to be difficult, so qualifying should carry extra weight and the starting order could shape the outcome from the opening lap. The schedule adds to that focus. Practice sessions are set for Friday, qualifying is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday and the race starts at 2 p.m. BST Sunday. The weather picture looks steady across the weekend, with all five sessions forecast to be dry and sunny. Highs are expected to reach 31C on Friday, 32C on Saturday and 33C for the race. That combination of heat, a banked corner and limited passing chances gives the Madring a demanding first assignment on the Formula 1 stage.
Antonelli leads
Kimi Antonelli arrives in Madrid as the championship leader after his win at Monza, where he came through from 19th on the grid to take the Italian Grand Prix. The result gave Antonelli a 66-point lead over George Russell and put him in control of the title fight as Formula 1 heads to Spain. Monza also reshaped the picture behind him. Pierre Gasly took pole position, Russell finished second and Max Verstappen was third. Ferrari endured a difficult weekend, with Charles Leclerc crashing out and Lewis Hamilton finishing sixth. That form line matters in Madrid because the track is expected to make clean overtaking hard. A strong qualifying run should be valuable, and the drivers who place well on Saturday may have the clearest path on Sunday. Antonelli’s margin gives him room, but the new circuit will still demand a sharp start to the final European round of the season.
