Formula 1 took another step towards the 2026 Madrid GP. Carlos Sainz was the first driver to complete a lap on the new MADRING circuit and highlighted the track as fast, technical, and full of personality.
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The Spaniard, who is an ambassador for the project, covered the 5.4 km circuit in an exclusive session and had his first contact with the 22 corners of the track, already fully paved. According to Sainz, the track layout mixes high-speed sectors, heavy braking, blind corners, and several overtaking points.
One of the sections that caught the driver’s attention the most was turn 1, pointed out by him as one of the main battle points of the future Spanish GP. “This first part is very fun, this is where we will see how we fight with the car,” he said. The Spaniard also highlighted the 837-meter straight before turn 5, where he believes cars can reach between 320 and 330 km/h.
Sainz also praised the second sector of the circuit, especially the climb to Las Cárcavas and the following fast corners. “This is amazing,” he commented, comparing the high-speed sequence to traditional Formula 1 circuits. According to him, the section resembles Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone due to the fast and demanding corners.
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The highlight of the layout, however, is the La Monumental corner, over half a kilometer long with a 24% incline. “That was what impressed me the most. I thought it would only have an incline, but it is also blind,” explained Sainz. At another point on the circuit, the driver highlighted a climb where “you can only see the sky” before braking.
The Madrid GP will mark Formula 1’s return to the Spanish capital after 45 years. The circuit is expected to be delivered to the FIA on May 31, within the scheduled timeline for the race debut between September 11 and 13, 2026.
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