Five aspects to watch for during the F1 Spanish GP

Sep 10, 2026

Formula 1 is set to introduce a new venue for the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend as the Madring makes its inaugural appearance on the outskirts of the Spanish capital.

This new venue takes the place of Barcelona, which remains on the F1 schedule, albeit under a different designation after hosting its 2026 race in June, where Lewis Hamilton emerged victorious.

This weekend marks the first time Madrid is featured on the F1 calendar since the historic Jarama circuit in 1981 and will generate considerable discussion during the grand prix.

Here are five key points to keep an eye on.

It might just be fine on the night (possibly)

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Madring

Whenever a new event takes place, there tends to be a phase of adjustment. Consider the inaugural Miami Grand Prix, where the less-than-ideal placement of food services caused issues in delivering hot meals to hospitality areas.

Oh dear! Will no one spare a thought for the unfortunate VIPs and their unappetizing canapés?

However, Monza has been hosting races since well before the championship was established, yet accessing the track remains a complete ordeal. The same applies to Abu Dhabi, where attendees often find themselves questioning the persistent disorganization at the entrance, despite having hosted F1 annually since 2009.

Thus, it was unsurprising when our track crew arrived at the Madring (well, perhaps not Fil, still stuck on a train between Barcelona and Madrid) and struggled to locate a path from the media center to the paddock. Also seen wandering aimlessly: Pedro de la Rosa and Kimi Antonelli.

Such logistical confusion will complicate the setup for teams as they prepare their equipment, especially since this is the second race of a back-to-back weekend. If the drivers can navigate to their garages and find their cars ready, who knows what sort of chaos might unfold once they hit the track?

Freshly laid asphalt often behaves unpredictably, although it appears the surface has been pressure-washed to eliminate oily residues. And let’s hope all the signs are functioning correctly, considering a recent theft of wiring…

- Stuart Codling

Kimi Antonelli, the impending champion

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

During last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, George Russell seemed to publicly concede that his championship aspirations are nearly extinguished. The Mercedes driver finished second to teammate Kimi Antonelli at Monza, putting the 20-year-old Italian in a commanding 66-point lead with ten races remaining.

"Yeah, Kimi's definitely in control of it and he's deserving to be in control of it," Russell expressed. "I'm not even contemplating a fight or a comeback or anything. I'm just concentrating on taking it race by race and trying to maximize every single weekend.

"He's performing exceptionally well. It's going to be incredibly challenging to bridge that gap, so I'm just accepting the situation as it is. I'm going to enjoy the rest of the season and aim to win as many races as I can."

This is certainly not the scenario Russell envisioned for 2026, having entered the season as the overwhelming favorite and validating that status by winning the opening race in Melbourne from pole position. However, luck has not favored him in subsequent races, such as the unfortunate safety car in Japan, but Monza showcased Antonelli as the rightful leader, especially given he started the race from 19th!

If Russell can’t capitalize on a situation like that, where his junior teammate faced a grid penalty, it’s hard to see where he could gain an advantage and mount a comeback.

Thus, Madrid this weekend represents just another step toward Antonelli’s anticipated crowning achievement – and it would be unwise to bet against him securing an eighth victory of 2026!

- Ed Hardy

The one-off Tsunoda return that has turned into three races

Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Not too long ago, various F1 media sources – including this one – described Yuki Tsunoda’s comeback at Zandvoort as a ‘one-time appearance’. Yet, here we find the Japanese racer poised to make his third grand prix start this season for Racing Bulls, with Liam Lawson also gearing up for Red Bull.

This situation arises due to regular Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar continuing to deal with a wrist injury incurred during a gym workout over the August summer break, resulting in him missing Zandvoort and subsequently Monza, with Madrid likely making it three consecutive absences.

While this is undoubtedly disappointing for Hadjar, it has opened a significant opportunity for both Lawson and Tsunoda, especially since neither of their plans for 2026 have been finalized. Lawson, in particular, seems to be the most at ease regarding his future, having made a notable impact for Racing Bulls this year with consistent points finishes and commendable performances in the last two rounds for Red Bull.

On the other hand, Tsunoda has not secured a full-time position for 2026 and is reportedly in discussions for an IndyCar seat in the upcoming year. Thus, his chances of securing a place on the F1 grid in 2027 appear slim, but he remains hopeful, and Madrid provides him another opportunity to showcase his skills following a challenging time with Red Bull last year that tarnished much of his reputation.

The Japanese driver had a solid outing in Zandvoort before picking up a point in Monza, and given that Racing Bulls is at the forefront of the midfield, it wouldn’t be surprising if he were to achieve another top 10 finish.

- Ed Hardy

Red flag mayhem?

A marshal waves the red flag

Photo by: Hector Vivas / Getty Images

During F3's official test at the Madring last month, many team owners and sponsors were likely left puzzled. The outcome was a staggering 19 red flags, including several major crashes that inflated the accident expenses.

As is customary with any new track, grip levels will be quite low in the inaugural year. However, Madring's mix of public roads and custom high-speed segments with minimal runoff areas could potentially lead to a tumultuous weekend.

Much attention will focus on Madring's standout feature, the sharply banked La Monumental curve, which is more intricate than it initially appears, with its varying radii and elevation shifts.

Moreover, the corners preceding and following the impressive Turn 12 are also quite challenging, with numerous exit walls that encroach back onto the track rather than recede. With so many uncertainties, the first running of the event could easily spiral into chaos.

"I believe that with the way they’ve positioned the barriers and designed the track, it’s going to pose one of the biggest challenges in Formula 1 recently," remarked Carlos Sainz, who serves as an ambassador for the event.

"The layout reminds me a lot of Jeddah, has similarities to Baku, and even brings to mind Macau in some aspects. So experiencing that in an F1 car with 1,000 horsepower will certainly be an intriguing challenge."

Sainz was cognizant of the occurrences during the F3 test and was under no misconceptions that the Madring might be a recipe for disorder, both in qualifying as drivers push the limits dangerously close to the barriers, and the ever-present risk of accidents.

"I have been studying the track and hearing about the F3 test incidents," he added. “I think we all anticipate safety cars, red flags, and yellow flags during qualifying and similar situations.

“It has become a trend in Formula 1 to race on tracks like Jeddah and Baku recently, which are closer to urban areas, like Miami, but feature more barriers, and we haven’t faced any significant issues with them."

- Filip Cleeren

Ferrari faces scrutiny following Hamilton's "there are no rules" comments

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

All eyes will be on Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in Madrid this weekend after their incident at Monza, particularly regarding how Ferrari will address the Briton's calls for more defined team protocols.

Leclerc and Hamilton raced side by side into the first chicane at the start on Sunday. The seven-time world champion attempted to take the inside line at Turn 1, but the Monegasque maintained his position and took the inside for Turn 2, forcing his teammate into the gravel and resulting in a loss of multiple positions, which sparked frustration.

Hamilton believed he should have been prioritized, as he is in closer contention with the Mercedes pair than Leclerc in the drivers’ standings, and took a jab at Ferrari by reflecting on his experience at Mercedes, asserting that “there are no rules” at Maranello.

As F1 heads to the uncharted terrain of the Madring, Ferrari does have some familiarity with the circuit following a filming session there in July. Whether this prior experience will provide them an edge is yet to be determined, but it is clear that Ferrari needs to come to the Spanish Grand Prix with a more solid agreement between its two drivers.

- Federico Faturos