Earlier this week, F1 announced that the sport will also be visiting Madrid from the 2026 season and will continue to be a part of the calendar till 2035 after coming to an agreement with IFEMA for a circuit around the famous exhibition center in the Spanish capital. While the move may attract a lot of finances to the sport, it might be trying to cover up something very problematic for the sport, as pointed out by Damon Hill while appearing in an interview for Sky Sports F1.
The former world champion believes the move comes in view of the changing regulations in 2026, which might lead to a lesser extraction of power from the engine. As such, trickier and tighter circuits will compensate for the loss of power, as it will be tough to maneuver high-power cars through the roads.
“The talk is of, you know, the difficulties they’re going to have in extracting consistent performance from the cars. So, this, kind of, moved towards a tighter twist.”
Hill added he hoped that the newer street circuits were not indicative of F1 following in the steps of Formula E, which has its races in city centers on very restricted circuits.
The new circuit, worth nearly $5 million in cost, will be a 5.47 km (3.39 miles) long circuit featuring 20 corners. Featuring both street and non-street sections, the projected lap qualifying time should be around the 1-minute and 32-second mark. The new track will be able to house as many as 110,000 fans in the venue, with 90% of them traveling via public transport. Given the same, projections suggest that the city’s economy will see earnings of $450 million every year through a single event.
Authorities have their say on the Madrid GP
Despite staying in Spain, F1 will witness fresh scenery from 2026 onwards, with the relocation of their Grand Prix from Barcelona to Madrid. Given the same, FIA President Mohammad Ben Sulayem stated that the F1 cars racing in the Spanish capital is an “enticing prospect.” He added that the proposed circuit will undergo FIA homologation and safety checks and will also need to seek calendar approval from the World Motor Sport Council.
The Mayor of Madrid, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, stated it was an opportunity for the city to show what they are capable of. He added he was confident Madrid was up to the task, not only because they deserved a spectacle of F1’s cadre but also because the sport deserves a city with the enthusiasm and energy of Madrid.
