Inside the Design of Madrid's New Formula 1 Street Circuit
Track designer Jarno Zaffelli details the three-year process of creating the Madring, a 5.4 km street circuit with 22 turns that integrates public roads and the IFEMA convention center. The design aims to improve overtaking opportunities and offer a unique flow compared to other circuits.
Zaffelli, with 25 years and over 200 designs, spent three years on this project. A key early decision placed the paddock inside the existing IFEMA convention center. To minimize disruption, he cut planned public road usage by more than half, relying on just 1.5 km. This required coordinating with roughly 50 agencies, from transport to environmental bodies.
The 5.4 km layout features 22 turns, highlighted by the banked "La Monumental" corner—a 24% slope and 10-meter elevation change, the second steepest on the calendar. Drivers will exceed 300 km/h. Testing included a Ferrari run in July and a Formula 3 race in August. This venue joins recent additions in Miami, Las Vegas, and Saudi Arabia, reflecting the sport's popularity surge.
The Madring's debut could significantly boost Madrid's tourism and global profile, drawing international visitors and media attention to the Valdebebas area. However, it may also bring recurring disruptions for local residents, including road closures and noise, which could spark debates about balancing urban life with major events. For the wider F1 community, this design may influence future street circuits, potentially setting a new standard for integrating public spaces with high-speed racing, affecting how cities approach hosting such spectacles.