Carlos Sainz was the first to complete a lap on the track in Madrid.

      Carlos Sainz can be said to have made history by becoming the first driver to race on the track of the new MadRing circuit. This special project was realized through the joint efforts of the organizers of the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, which will celebrate its opening in 2026, and Formula 1.

      Today, an intriguing video dedicated to this appeared on the official championship website. In particular, throughout the more than 21-minute storyline, the Williams driver skillfully pilots a red Ford Mustang GT, while the passenger seat is occupied by the website's correspondent, Lawrence Barretto.

      There have been periodic rumors that the new circuit will not be completed on time – likely to dispel these, the promoters invited Carlos, a native of Madrid, to take a lap on the track, where the first layers of asphalt were recently laid. Construction work is ongoing, but it is already possible to take a spin on the track, which Sainz did exactly 120 days before the start of the September race.

      By the end of May, the readiness of the facility will be checked once again by FIA representatives, but the task of conducting a sort of first inspection was entrusted to Carlos, which is quite logical since he serves as the ambassador for MadRing.

      "It’s very difficult to put into words the emotions I’m feeling right now, as I’ve always dreamed of the opportunity to race in my hometown!" Sainz shared his impressions. "Madrid is a wonderful city that will become even more famous worldwide, as now it has its own Formula 1 track."

      Carlos completed the first lap at a calm pace, telling Lawrence about the circuit and the features of the track's configuration, to which Sainz has a direct connection, as he consulted its authors from the perspective of an experienced Formula 1 driver during the early stages.

      It seems that this track has everything to make racing here truly exciting – high-speed turns, including banked ones, long straights ending in heavy braking zones, and elevation changes. Moreover, the turns have a variety of characteristics, and some of them feature blind apexes.

      "Starting from the 9th turn, we enter a section of the lap where we will fully enjoy driving Formula 1 cars, and where they will showcase their best qualities," Carlos commented. "We will take the La Monumental turn at full throttle, although in its middle section, we might have to slightly reduce speed to achieve better grip on the front wheels.

      This turn impresses me the most. I knew it would have banking, but it unexpectedly turned out to be blind as well!... The banking here reaches 24 degrees and continues for almost half a kilometer, and unlike Zandvoort, the width of the track here allows for different racing lines, so the battle will unfold wheel to wheel."

      Of course, after the calm lap, Carlos drove the track as real racers do, but during this lap, he and Lawrence mainly exchanged enthusiastic exclamations.