Madrid's F1 circuit progresses ahead of timetable despite demonstrations.
20% of the semi-urban layout is already finished.
19 September 2025 - 12:50
The construction of Madrid’s new Formula 1 street circuit is advancing more swiftly than anticipated, despite ongoing local opposition. According to the EFE news agency, 20% of the semi-urban layout in the Valdebebas area has been completed, with earthworks over 85% done and progressing five weeks ahead of the planned schedule.
Carlos Jimenez Luque, the operations chief at Ifema Madrid, stated that the target for finishing the 5.4km, 22-corner 'Madring' circuit remains set for May 2026, with asphalt laying expected to commence in mid-October. "The primary reason we expedited the work is to begin paving as soon as possible and to avoid the rainy season," he clarified.
The track will feature both existing and new sections, highlighted by a banking curve called La Monumental, which is slated to be the steepest on the Formula 1 calendar at 24 percent. Currently, around 300 workers are on site, with projections to increase the workforce to 500 by November. The FIA has already approved the layout, with an initial inspection visit anticipated during the asphalt phase next month.
Meanwhile, protests against the event persist in the Spanish capital, with one neighborhood federation stating, "The profits will go to a few, while the losses will be shouldered by all." The first Madrid GP is planned for mid-September 2026.
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