Formula 1 will have a new host for the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend as the Madring circuit makes its debut on the outskirts of Spain's capital. It replaces Barcelona, which remains on the F1 calendar under a new name after hosting the June 2026 race, won by Lewis Hamilton.
This is the first time Madrid has appeared on the F1 calendar since the old-school Jarama circuit in 1981. Many topics will be up for discussion during the grand prix weekend, and here are five things to keep an eye on.
Logistics and Preparation
Every new event comes with a bedding-in period. Take the first Miami Grand Prix, where sub-optimal catering locations led to difficulties supplying hot food to hospitality areas. Meanwhile, Monza, which has hosted GPs since before the world championship began, still struggles with access chaos. Abu Dhabi, too, often leaves visitors puzzled by gate arrangements despite hosting F1 annually since 2009.
Our track team arrived at Madring and immediately got lost trying to find the way from the media centre to the paddock. Even Pedro de la Rosa and Kimi Antonelli were spotted wandering around. Logistical disarray will add to the challenges teams face setting up equipment, given this is the second race of a double-header. If the drivers can find their garages and there are cars ready, who knows what unexpected events could unfold once the cars hit the track?
Freshly laid asphalt often misbehaves, though reportedly the surface has been pressure-washed to remove oily residues. Let's hope all the signage still works, especially after a bunch of wiring was recently stolen.
Kimi Antonelli, the Champion-in-Waiting
Last weekend's Italian Grand Prix may have been the first time George Russell publicly admitted his title hopes were practically over. The Mercedes driver finished runner-up to teammate Kimi Antonelli at Monza, giving the 20-year-old Italian a 66-point lead with 10 rounds remaining.
"Yeah, Kimi's definitely in control of it and he's deserving to be in control of it," Russell said. "I'm not even thinking about a fight or a comeback. I'm just focused on taking it race by race and maximising every single weekend. He's performing incredibly well. It's going to be exceptionally challenging to overcome that gap, so I'm just..."
With Antonelli's consistent form, the Spanish GP could be another stage to show that his world title is only a matter of time. Can he maintain his momentum at this challenging new circuit?
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