2023-12-05 18:30:06
Formula 1 will return to Madrid in 2026. Official confirmation from the organization is missing, but the capital institutions involved (IFEMA, City Council and Community) take the agreement for granted. It will mean the return of F1 to Madrid after 45 years, when the last test was held at the Jarama circuit. But, How many Spanish circuits have hosted Formula 1 tests?
The route that will be deployed in the north of Madrid, with IFEMA and the Madrid neighborhood of Valdebebas (north) as key locations, will be ehe seventh in the history of Formula 1 in Spain. Up to five locations have hosted a Grand Prix: Barcelona (Catalonia), San Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid), Jerez (Andalusia), Montmeló (Catalonia) and Valencia (Valencian Community), which will be joined by the Spanish capital.
Formula 1 will arrive in Madrid in 2026: only the official announcement is missing
Pedralbes Circuit (1951 and 1954)
The first Spanish circuit to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix It was the one from Pedralbeslocated 30 kilometers from the current Catalonia Circuit. This route opened its doors in 1946 for the first time, when it became the headquarters of the Peña Rhin Grand Prize. In 1950, a non-scoring test was held for the F1 championship and a year later (1951) the first GP arrived, which ended with the victory of the Argentine myth Juan Manuel Fangio.
The Alfa Romeo driver took his first world title in Pedralbes after maintaining a tough fight throughout the year with the Italian Alberto Ascari. In 1954, Formula 1 returned to Pedralbes in an edition in which Mike Hawthorn, Ferrari driver, emerged the winner. It was the last time it was run on a circuit that had a length of 6,316 meters.
The disaster that occurred in Sarthe (Le Mans, France) in 1955 caused a change in safety measures in the circuits. The pilot Pierre Lavegh and 82 spectators died. It was the greatest tragedy in the history of motorsports. This caused the closure of Pedralbes. Barcelona decided to conceive another urban layout: the Montjuïc circuit.
Jarama Circuit (1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976-1981)
Fourteen years after the last Spanish Grand Prix was held in Pedralbes, the Formula 1 arrived in Madrid. He did it in 1968 in the Jarama Circuit, located in San Sebastián de los Reyes, 20 kilometers from the capital. This route, still operational, where national and international championship events are held, was designed by John Hugenholtzcreator of other mythical routes such as Suzuka (Japan) and Zandvoort (Netherlands).
The Jarama hosted the Spanish GP alternating with the Montjuïc Circuit, a solution that has been proposed for the coexistence of the future Madrid GP with the one that will be held in Montmeló until 2026, if the current contract is fulfilled. In 1967, the XV Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix was held, not counting towards the World Championship, as was the case with the 1968 edition won by Graham Hill (Lotus-Ford).
On June 21, 1981, the Jarama circuit hosted its last Formula 1 race. The winner was Gilles Villenueve (Ferrari), ahead of Jacques Laffite, John Watson, Reutemann and De Angelis. They crossed the finish line all separated by just over a second. Jarama was proposed as a possibility for the return of F1 to Madridbut its approval would require a large investment and would affect the rest of the tests held at this location.
Circuit de Montjuïc (1969, 1971, 1973 and 1975)
The Montjuïc Circuit was built to succeed the Pedralbes Circuit. It hosted the Spanish Grand Prix in alternate years with that of Jarama. Formula 1 stopped at this track for the first time in 1969repeated in 1971 and 1973, to close its participation in 1975. As happened with its predecessor, the lack of facilities and security guarantees were the reasons for its closure.
Like Pedralbes, Montjuïc experienced several editions of the Penya Rhin Grand Prix, a race that was also held in Villafranca and that demonstrates the automobile tradition of the area. Montjuïc was a feared circuit with 12 curves and 3.79 kilometers. The 1975 edition marked its end due to the tragedy that occurred.
During training, incidents occurred that called into question the safety of the circuit. Own Emerson Fittipaldi, a two-time World Cup winner and a fearless driver, withdrew from the race in protest after the first lap. On lap 26, Rolf Stommelen lost his wing, crashing into a fence and killing four spectators. The race was stopped and Jochen Mass was declared the winner. The circuit was removed from the calendar.
Jerez Circuit (1986-1990, 1994, 1997)
The Spanish Grand Prix returned to Spain in 1986 by the Jerez Circuit, inaugurated just a year before. He did it with an incredible race in which the iconic Brazilian Ayrton Senna, driving a Lotus, beat the British Nigel Mansell by just 14 thousandths.
Between 1994 and 1997, the Andalusian town hosted World Cup events under the name ‘European Grand Prix’a name that was used in several layouts such as Nürburgring, Valencia o Baku. He did it by incorporating security improvements. The farewell to F1 was in style, with an intense duel for the title between Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve.
The Canadian achieved pole position while the German started from second position. But a good start allowed Schumacher to place second on a 4.423-kilometer road course that in 2019 was renamed Ángel Nieto. On lap 21, Villeneuve tried to overtake, but the German blocked his way. However, the Ferrari went into the gravel and the Williams-Renault took the world crown.
Montmeló Circuit (1991-present)
With the Barcelona Olympic Games just around the corner, Catalonia saw the inauguration of the Montmeló Circuit in 1991, officially called Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya, which has a capacity of 140,700 spectators. Since then Formula 1 has visited the 5,451 kilometer route. The drivers who have won the most times on that track are Lewis Hamilton y Michael Schumacherwith six victories each.
In 1992, the World Motorcycle Championship landed in Montmeló.. That same year, on the occasion of the Olympic Games, the track hosted the final of the team time trial that Germany won. During these more than three decades, the circuit has been experiencing changes, especially in terms of safety. It is 75% owned by the Generalitat (the rest is shared by the RACC and the Montmeló City Council), so its financing is mainly public.
The Montmeló Circuit has a net contribution to the economy of 181 million and generates 2,670 jobs, according to what was published in its latest strategic plan. After suffering financial problems, exacerbated by the pandemic, in which there was no audience, the event has recovered. His permanence in the World Cup will depend on what the Formula 1 organizers decide.. Coexistence with the new Madrid track is not ruled out in a calendar that has more and more tests.
Valencia Circuit (2008-2012)
The genesis of a Grand Prix in Valencia was in 2006, when Bernie Ecclestone, at that time the head of Formula 1, expressed his desire to hold a test in the Mediterranean. The person in charge of designing this urban circuit was Herman Tilke. An agreement was closed to, in principle, organize races between 2008 and 2014.
The F1 adventure in Valencia lasted until 2012, when the organizers (Valmor Sports) and the Generalitat requested alternate races with Montmeló. They made this request due to lack of liquidity, although the agreement never came. The Valencian Government assumed the debt after the bankruptcy of Valmor. After the resignation of Franscisco Camps, the president who promoted the project, the institution renounced the race.
In the summer of 2023, eleven years after the last Grand Prix was held on a route that was 5.473 kilometers long, The Generalitat paid the last 7.5 million euros corresponding to the 60 million credit of euros that was requested at the time to finance part of the costs of the track.
Madrid Circuit (2026)
In the absence of official confirmation from Formula One Management, the Madrid Circuit will become the seventh track to host a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Spain. A private promoter will be in charge, after a competition, of the construction of a semi-urban circuit that will have as its axes the fairgrounds of IFEMA and Valdebebasa neighborhood in the north of the Spanish capital.
In the Official Bulletin of Industrial Property of last March 28, the names ‘Formula 1 Madrid Grand Prix’ and ‘Madrid Grand Prix’ ‘Formula 1 Madrid Grand Prix’ and ‘Madrid Grand Prix’. IFEMA’s 200,000 square meters, 13 pavilions, 85 rooms or two convention centers are a powerful base of operations on which to deploy the enormous infrastructure required for a test of this type.
Furthermore, Valdebebas, where IFEMA is located, offers multiple possibilities. It is an expanding area of Madrid, with a financial and business focus, where the Real Madrid Sports City is located. It is next to the Barajas airport, which will facilitate the movement of more than 100 people and 50 tons of material moved by each Formula 1 team.
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