El Mundo announces the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid for 2026 instead of Barcelona
According to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Madrid will host the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix starting in 2026, marking the return of this competition to the Spanish capital after a four-decade hiatus. The event will take place around Ifema and Valdebebas, with the organization being fully funded by private investors. This decision aims to avoid the problems encountered by the Valencia Grand Prix, which was marked by poor management and excessive public spending.
Madrid is preparing to host a Formula 1 race starting in 2026, news that ends a long wait since the last competition in 1981 at the Jarama circuit. The official announcement of this event was scheduled last week, according to El Mundo, but technical details delayed the communication. The confirmation is imminent, and the official announcement should come from the F1 headquarters in London, owned by the Liberty group, in the coming days.
The newspaper El Mundo claims to have internal sources in the discussions that have confirmed the information.
A private project, led by Ifema
The project has been discreetly carried forward by Ifema over the past years, with the support of personalities such as José Vicente de los Mozos, the company’s president. The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, have also supported this initiative. However, it is important to note that the Madrid Grand Prix will be fully funded by private capital, in order to avoid the problems encountered during the Valencia Grand Prix, marked by excessive public spending and cases of corruption.
Barcelona would leave
The arrival of the Madrid Grand Prix means that the Catalonia race will be removed from the calendar in 2026, according to El Mundo, as the Ifema race will carry the flag of the Spanish Grand Prix. The idea of having two Spanish races in the World Championship, as was the case with Valencia and Montmelo in the past, is ruled out. Montmelo will continue to host races in 2024 and 2025, but the political situation in Catalonia and significant public spending have led to the end of the Barcelona cycle in the world of Formula 1.
The Madrid circuit, semi-urban
The decision to host the Grand Prix in Madrid is based on several advantages, including the favorable social, tourist, and gastronomic context that the city is experiencing, as well as its proximity to the airport, public transportation, and a luxury hotel offering. The project, which came to fruition in 2021, aims to offer a complete experience to spectators, including music, gastronomy, and the Madrid lifestyle, drawing inspiration from recent developments in Formula 1 race organization.
Ifema foresees a major economic impact for Madrid, estimated at nearly 500 million euros each year the Grand Prix is held. The agreement is expected to last for 10 seasons. The budget allocated for the construction of the circuit is around 100 million euros. The track, which is five kilometers long, will go through the exhibition halls of the park, with a starting line in front of the main building. It will then extend towards Valdebebas, the Real Madrid Sports City, and the grounds that have hosted the Mad Cool festival for several years.
