Formula 1 Arrives in Madrid for the Sport's Newest Grand Prix

THE DEBUT

Formula 1 is racing in Spain's capital for the first time this weekend, with the new Madring circuit hosting the Spanish Grand Prix after Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya lost its long-standing slot on the calendar.

FIRST NUMBERS ON THE BOARD

Friday practice gave teams their first look at a layout none of them had raced on before. Kimi Antonelli, fresh off his shock win at Monza, set the fastest time in second practice with a 1:33.662s lap, a marker the rest of the field will be chasing into Saturday's qualifying session.

WHY IT MATTERS

With no prior data from the track, teams are starting from scratch, making practice sessions more valuable than usual for finding a working setup. The race is the latest addition to a calendar reshaped for 2026, which also introduced new car and engine regulations built around fully sustainable fuel, and a grid expanded to eleven teams and twenty-two drivers following Cadillac's entry as the newest constructor.

WHAT'S NEXT

Practice concludes Saturday before qualifying sets the grid for Sunday's inaugural Madrid Grand Prix, the first of what organizers hope will be a long-term fixture on the calendar.