Spanish Grand Prix 2026 Preview: Everything You Need To Know
The Spanish Grand Prix enters a new chapter in 2026, with Formula 1 heading to Madrid for the first time. The new event at the Madring forms part of a changed Spanish presence on the F1 calendar, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya hosting the separate Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix in June.
The Madrid race takes place from 11th to 13th September 2026 and is one of the major additions to this season’s calendar. The new circuit combines public-road and permanent-track sections and is designed to provide a varied test for the teams and drivers.
There is plenty to cover ahead of the inaugural Madrid Spanish Grand Prix, including the date and timetable, the new circuit, qualifying, the previous Spanish Grand Prix winner and the drivers expected to challenge for victory. Read on for a detailed guide to what fans can expect from the 2026 event.
When Is The Spanish Grand Prix 2026?
The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix takes place on Sunday 13th September 2026 at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. Practice begins on Friday 11th September, followed by final practice and qualifying on Saturday 12th September before the Grand Prix on Sunday.
The event is the first Spanish Grand Prix to be held in Madrid as part of Formula 1’s long-term agreement with the Spanish capital. Madrid joins the 2026 calendar while Barcelona-Catalunya hosts its own Grand Prix earlier in the season.
The timing also places the Spanish Grand Prix towards the end of the European summer section of the championship. With the new circuit being used for the first time, teams will have limited historical data from previous races at the venue, making practice particularly important.
Where Is The Spanish Grand Prix Held?
The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix is being held at the Madring in Madrid rather than the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The new venue combines public roads with permanent-track sections and is located close to the Spanish capital, making it considerably different from the traditional Barcelona venue.
The Madring is listed at 5.474 kilometres in the official 2026 Spanish Grand Prix timetable and features a mixture of circuit styles. Its layout is intended to combine the characteristics of a street circuit with those of a more conventional permanent facility.
This will make the first running of the Spanish Grand Prix at Madrid particularly interesting for teams. Unlike Barcelona, there is no previous F1 race data from which to build a setup, so engineers and drivers will need to learn the circuit quickly during practice.
The new venue also gives the Spanish Grand Prix a different identity from the Barcelona-Catalunya race, which was held in June and continues to have its own place on the 2026 calendar.
What Time Is The Spanish Grand Prix?
The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 15:00 local time in Madrid on Sunday 13th September. Madrid is two hours ahead of UTC, making the race start 14:00 British Summer Time for viewers in the UK.
The weekend begins with Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 on Friday 11th September. Final practice and qualifying follow on Saturday, with the Grand Prix taking place on Sunday afternoon.
The new circuit means practice sessions will be especially valuable. Teams need to gather data on tyre behaviour, braking points, car balance and track evolution before committing to their final qualifying and race setups.
For fans watching from the UK, the 14:00 race start provides a familiar European viewing time, while the earlier support-series sessions create a full day of motorsport around the Grand Prix.
What Time Is Spanish Grand Prix Qualifying?
Qualifying for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix is scheduled for 16:00 local time on Saturday 12th September. For viewers in the UK, that means a 15:00 start.
The three-stage qualifying format will be particularly important at a completely new Formula 1 venue. Teams will have to make the most of limited running and determine how best to prepare the tyres and car for a single fast lap.
Who Won The Spanish Grand Prix 2025?
The previous Spanish Grand Prix, held at Barcelona in 2025, was won by Oscar Piastri for McLaren. Piastri finished ahead of team-mate Lando Norris, while Charles Leclerc took third place for Ferrari.
It is important to distinguish that 2025 result from the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix. That June 2026 event was won by Lewis Hamilton for Ferrari, but it was a separate race from the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
Qualifying in Madrid will therefore provide the first indication of which teams have adapted best to the new circuit and could have a significant influence on Sunday’s race.
How Many Laps Is The Spanish Grand Prix?
The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring is scheduled to run for 57 laps. With the circuit listed at 5.474 kilometres, the official race distance is 308.524 kilometres.
That makes the Madrid race substantially different from the Barcelona-Catalunya event, which used a 4.657-kilometre circuit and ran for 66 laps.
With no previous Spanish Grand Prix having been held at the Madring, teams will have to develop their tyre and pit-stop strategies from the information collected during the opening practice sessions. Understanding degradation and how the track evolves throughout the weekend could be particularly important.
The 57-lap distance should also give teams opportunities to vary their approach to tyre strategy. The first running of the circuit means there could be plenty of uncertainty surrounding the ideal number and timing of pit stops.
Who Are The Favourites To Win The Spanish Grand Prix?
The competitive picture heading into Madrid is different from the one expected at the start of the season. After the Italian Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 drivers’ championship for Mercedes on 267 points, with team-mate George Russell second on 201.
Lewis Hamilton is third on 191 points, followed by Lando Norris on 171, Charles Leclerc on 155 and Max Verstappen on 127.
Antonelli’s championship position makes him one of the obvious drivers to watch in Madrid, while Russell’s second place in the standings underlines Mercedes’ strong campaign. Hamilton will also arrive with considerable confidence after winning the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix earlier in the season.
Norris and Leclerc remain major contenders, while Verstappen cannot be discounted despite sitting sixth in the championship after the Italian Grand Prix. The new Madring layout creates an additional unknown because no driver has previously competed there in a Formula 1 Grand Prix.
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