Mercedes F1 Prepares for Madrid Grand Prix as New Madring Circuit Makes Formula 1 Debut

Madrid, Spain, September 9, 2026: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team heads to Madrid for the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit, with Toto Wolff expecting a closely fought weekend after the team’s strong performance at Monza.

Formula 1 returns to Madrid for the first time in 45 years this weekend, as the Spanish capital prepares to host its first Grand Prix since the 1981 Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama. The all-new Madring street circuit will make its Formula 1 debut in 2026, providing teams and drivers with a completely new challenge and no previous race data to rely on.

For Mercedes, the Madrid weekend follows one of its strongest performances of the 2026 season at Monza. Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff said the team executed strongly in Italy and extracted the maximum from its package, but stressed that attention quickly shifted towards the new Madrid challenge.

Toto Wolff expects close fight in Madrid

Wolff believes the characteristics of the new Madring circuit could produce a very different competitive picture compared with Monza.

According to the Mercedes boss, the circuit is more closely comparable to venues such as Budapest and Zandvoort, suggesting that teams could face a much tighter battle in Madrid.

“This weekend presents a completely different challenge,” Wolff said.

Mercedes’ priority will be to understand the demands of the new circuit as quickly as possible and maximise performance from the opening practice session.

With no previous Formula 1 race data available at Madring, teams will have to establish their understanding of tyre behaviour, grip levels, car balance and set-up requirements from scratch.

Wolff also highlighted the wider significance of Formula 1’s arrival in Madrid. He believes the addition of the Spanish capital to the calendar demonstrates the continued global growth and momentum of the sport.

New Madring circuit brings unique challenge

The Madring circuit is a 5.416-kilometre layout featuring 22 corners, combining public roads with purpose-built sections.

One of its defining features is La Monumental, a heavily banked corner with a 24 per cent incline. The section takes inspiration from Madrid’s historic bullrings and is expected to become one of the most recognisable features of the new circuit.

For drivers, the combination of conventional corners and unique elements such as La Monumental will require a different approach to learning the circuit.

Mercedes’ third-driver insight also highlighted the importance of finding the right balance between outright performance, stability and tyre management through the heavily banked section.

The lack of previous F1 running means all teams will start from a similar baseline, potentially giving drivers an opportunity to make a difference through their ability to learn and adapt quickly.

Mercedes drivers prepare for new Madrid challenge

The new circuit is expected to create a particularly interesting engineering and driving challenge.

Teams have already spent considerable time working in simulators to analyse the circuit layout and prepare initial set-up directions. However, real-world track conditions will provide the first opportunity to establish how closely simulation data matches reality.

Drivers will also need to quickly understand braking points, kerb usage, corner speeds and tyre management.

The unique La Monumental section could be particularly important, with its banking creating different loads and demands compared with a conventional flat corner.

As experience accumulates throughout the weekend, the advantage gained from learning the circuit early could become increasingly important.

Madrid Grand Prix marks 10-year F1 agreement

The 2026 Madrid event marks the beginning of a 10-year agreement between Formula 1 and Madrid, securing the Spanish capital’s place on the calendar through at least 2035.

Madrid becomes the first new Formula 1 venue to join the calendar since Las Vegas in 2023, according to the Mercedes material.

The arrival of the Grand Prix represents another major expansion of Formula 1’s presence in Spain, which has already hosted races at several circuits over the decades.

The Spanish capital’s status as a global destination city is also expected to provide a major backdrop for the new event.