What’s gone wrong with F1’s new £71m track before the first race has even started?
The Circuito de Madring in Madrid is all set to host the Spanish Grand Prix for the very first time later this month — though there have been a few bumps along the way.
This new track, which circles around Madrid’s IFEMA Exhibition Centre, will hold Formula 1 races for the next nine years, through to 2035. The big day for the first Grand Prix is September 13.
One of the track’s standout features is a 0.5 km semi-circular corner with a steep 24% banking. It’s been called an impressive wall of asphalt that could change how we think about Formula 1 cars. The whole circuit cost around €80 million (£71 million) to build.
Carlos Sainz, the Williams driver who was born in Madrid and is an ambassador for the circuit, had the honor of taking the first fast lap on the Madring in a road car back in May.
“It’s really impressive — I didn’t expect to have so much fun,” Sainz told F1’s official website. “The track is wide and flowing, and you can really push the car for a long time. Especially in that open section, I realized how fast we were going. If it’s this fast in a road car, just imagine in an F1 car!”
While drivers are excited, the journey to the first race hasn’t been without issues. ABC reported that after a recent Formula 3 test event, some electrical cables were stolen from generators in the tunnel section of the circuit. Around 300 meters of cable went missing, and the National Police are investigating.
There were also worries about construction falling behind schedule, but the FIA (Formula 1’s governing body) said in May that everything is on track. They have another visit planned for August. At the F3 test last month, officials said the track, as well as sporting, technical, and safety operations, worked well under real race conditions.
On the community side, a protest group called Stop F1 Madrid has taken legal action over noise levels. During the F3 test, noise hit an average of 102.7 decibels, and peaked at 109.1 decibels, while local rules say noise can’t go above 55 decibels in residential areas. Some residents are also worried about the large crowds expected—over 90,000 tickets have already been sold for race day.
To ease concerns, Madrid’s city councillor Borja Carabante has promised that acoustic panels will be installed before the Grand Prix to help reduce noise. They also pointed out that Formula 1 cars are quieter than F3 cars, though it’s not clear exactly how much this will help.
Overall, excitement is building for Madrid’s debut on the F1 calendar, despite the challenges along the way!