Hello Madrid!
After months of rumors, the news is now official: Madrid will be the seat of Spanish Grand Prix starting from the 2026 season, with the Iberian capital likely to take over from Barcelona that year unless there are unexpected announcements. Unlike the permanent Montmelò circuit, the Madrid one will be a hybrid routewho will then see the combination of city traits with others still to be specially created around the IFEMA exhibition center.
Only part citizen
What is known, as revealed in the presentation ceremony, is the circuit design which will bring Madrid back to F1 for the first time after the last GP held in Jarama in 1981. The track will be characterized by 20 curvesfor a total of 5.47km of route to travel 1 minute and 32 seconds about. A quarter of the route will be made up of city streets, i.e. the streets of the Recinto Ferial (home of the IFEMA centre), while the others will be built in the northern area of Valdebebas. A case therefore different from that of Melbourne or Marina Bay, where the existing roads represent the majority of the circuit.
Drawing
From the starting grid the drivers will face a first left-right chicane, with a width of between 12 and 15 meters which will allow them to complete overtaking manoeuvres. According to the designers, the circuit will feature three overall overtaking points in addition to the one just indicated. Coming out of the chicane, a curving straight will then begin which will take the cars to reach 300 km/h (one of the fastest points) until braking at Turn 5, again with good overtaking opportunities. After the curve you will access a tunnel under the M11 motorway, for a quick ascent that will lead to the specially built circuit. Particular consideration should be given to curve 10which could be recognized as the most spectacular point of the route: a blind right curve of more than 180° with a banking, although the slope has not yet been decided. From here, drivers will face a quick sequence of bends and a second tunnel back under the motorway, before rejoining the urban section, with two 90° bends before the finish line, all in a clockwise direction. In conclusion, the track will be the first to feature an indoor paddock.
On the Zandvoort model
For the project relating to the construction of the new roads, F1 commissioned him Studio Dromo to develop the track, thus entrusting the task to Italian engineers as had happened for the return of Zandvoort: “We managed to follow an approach to the track based on the comments of the drivers, who ask fast and safe layoutsand on the presence of a greater number of bankingmuch appreciated after his reintroduction into Formula 1 in Zandvoort”explained CEO Jarno Zaffelli.
#curves #banks #tunnels #Madrid #circuit
