Madrid will make its debut on the Formula 1 calendar this year at the MADRING, a new race set to be held on a hybrid circuit built around the IFEMA exhibition centre.
The event has been awarded a 10-year contract to stage the TAG Heuer Spanish Grand Prix, positioning the capital as a long-term addition to the championship at a time when F1 continues to expand its presence in major global cities.
Unlike traditional circuits or temporary street races, MADRING is being developed using a combination of existing infrastructure and public roads, with the project designed to sit within the city rather than on its outskirts.
Madrid’s approach is built around using existing infrastructure rather than developing a race venue from scratch, reducing both cost and complexity in the early stages of the project.
At the centre of that model is IFEMA, Madrid’s primary exhibition venue, which hosts major international trade shows and attracts millions of visitors each year.
Speaking to Sector, MADRING General Manager Luis Garcia Abad outlined how the project has been shaped across infrastructure, transport, commercial strategy and long-term planning.
“What we have is IFEMA, which is the main exhibition centre in Madrid, one of the most important exhibition centres in Europe,” Abad told Sector.
“We decided to use IFEMA because it was very strong from an investment perspective, as we already have a lot of infrastructure that we can reuse.
“We already have energy, WiFi, toilets, buildings – a lot of things that are not easy to find in other cities. We have the expertise of hosting more than four million visitors every year.”
The same logic extends beyond the physical build, shaping how MADRING is being positioned commercially from the outset.
Rather than treating the race as a standalone event, the project is being developed as a broader business platform, using IFEMA’s existing role as a year-round exhibition venue to create additional value for partners.
IFEMA gives us a unique opportunity to show the experience to customers in the best conditions, with the right access and environment. It is something that is quite unique to combine sport and business in the same place.
Luis Garcia Abad
“We are building a business-to-business project,” Abad explained.
“We already have a contract properly signed with Formula One, so we approached our sponsors with something real. It is important to deliver realities, not just promises.
“IFEMA gives us a unique opportunity to show the experience to customers in the best conditions, with the right access and environment. It is something that is quite unique to combine sport and business in the same place.”
That approach shifts the focus towards longer-term commercial relationships, supported by the scale of the venue and the stability of a 10-year contract.
The project’s location within the city is central to that model, shaping both how fans access the event and how long they remain within it.
Unlike traditional circuits positioned on the outskirts, MADRING is integrated into Madrid’s existing transport network, reducing friction for attendees while extending the potential for engagement across the wider city.
“The venue is inside the city, not outside,” Abad said.
“You can walk from the airport to different metro stations, to hotels – this is quite unique in Europe. We have a metro station at the main entrance and a train station in the north area.
“It is something that makes access very easy compared to other locations.”
That accessibility is expected to play a key role in how the event operates, with organisers anticipating that around 80% of attendees will arrive via public transport.
Beyond easing congestion, it also reduces the need for additional infrastructure, reinforcing the project’s wider approach of building around what already exists.
To an extent, that approach also underpins how MADRING is positioning itself against F1’s wider sustainability targets.
By building around an existing venue and transport network, the project reduces the need for large-scale new infrastructure, while making it easier to manage the environmental impact of race operations.
“We are very ambitious,” Abad added.
“IFEMA already has strong sustainability targets, including net zero goals by 2030. The infrastructure helps us a lot – energy, facilities and existing systems are already in place.
“We are focusing on mobility and accessibility, and using public transport as a key part of that. We will also introduce zero-emission vehicles and alternative transport options around the event.”
Combined with the anticipated reliance on public transport, that model positions MADRING as a project where sustainability is shaped as much by design as by policy, aligning operational efficiency with the broader direction of the championship.
