A Quick Spanish Grand Prix Race Guide

New to the F1 calendar this year (and taking over the “Spanish Grand Prix” hosting duties from Barcelona), we’re off to race on a brand new hybrid circuit in Madrid!

There’s been a lot of hype about the new Madring, and it will be interesting to see how the first year at this new circuit goes! (Hopefully it goes well, as Madrid is locked in on the Formula 1 schedule through 2035…)

Here’s your mini Spanish Grand Prix race guide, including all you need to know about tickets, where to sit, the fan experience, what you can bring to the track, and more.

Quick race guide to the Spanish GP

Here’s everything you need to know if you’re headed to the Spanish Grand Prix this year, or are interested in traveling to the Madrid F1 race one day in the future.

Official race name

Officially, this is the FORMULA 1 TAG HEUER GRAN PREMIO DE ESPANA 2026.

When is it?

The Spanish GP in Madrid takes place September 11-13, 2026 (local time). The schedule is:

September 11: Practice 1, Practice 2
September 12: Practice 3, Qualifying
September 13: Race

Race location

The Spanish GP takes place at the new Madring, located close to the main airport in Madrid. The circuit is brand new and purpose-built, and is unique in that it’s a hybrid street and permanent track. The circuit is 5.414km (3.364 miles), and will have some high-speed straights, elevation changes, and the longest banked turn of any current F1 track, named (perhaps fittingly) La Monumental. Drivers race 57 laps here.

Getting to the track

Part of the Madring’s appeal is its proximity to central Madrid, and the fact that people can reach the circuit fairly easily using public transit.

The Madring is separated into two main parts: North and South. The main station for Madring North is Valdebebas commuter station, while the main station for Madring South is the Feria de Madrid Metro station. Both are reachable from central Madrid and the airport.

Shuttle buses also run to the circuit from Plaza Castilla, Canillejas, Avenida América, and Metropolitano Stadium, and it’s also possible to arrive via taxi or rideshare.

The only thing you cannot do is drive to the circuit, as there’s no parking available at the Madring.

Spanish GP ticket options

I always recommend checking ticket options through the host circuit first. For the Spanish GP, check out:

Madring for general admission, grandstand tickets, and official venue hospitality packages. (And note that the Madring sells its tickets through Fever; look at tickets here.)
F1 Experiences for speciality hospitality packages and VIP packages.

Tickets for the inaugural race at the Madring went on sale a few months in advance. But tickets for the 2027 race went on sale almost immediately after the 2026 race ended.

One thing that it’s important to know is that, in 2026, tickets were sold for either the North OR South half of the Madring, and race-goers were NOT allowed to access the other half of the track. in 2027, it looks like there will be 3 ticket zones (A, C, and E), each with their own fan zones that are only accessible to people seated in those zones.

For 2027, so far only 3-day ticket packages are on sale for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Best place(s) to sit

There are lots of grandstands to choose from at the Madring. The most popular is probably the huge swath of grandstands (12A and 12B) around La Monumental (Turn 12), where the track is banked at a jaw-dropping 24%. These grandstands are uncovered, but give a truly unique view of the race.

For covered options, the Main Straight grandstands (1A, 1B, and 1C) are probably your best bets, and will also offer up good views of the start and finish of the race.

The fan experience

The Madring has all the usual F1 Fan Zone features, including fan activations, race simulators, photo ops, food and merch vendors, and more.

In 2026, there was definitely criticism about the new circuit, especially since fans were not really aware before the event that you could only access the Fan Zone in your “zone” of the track — meaning some fans didn’t have access to some race weekend events, like the stage where driver interviews take place.

It appears this will be true in 2027, too, with 3 distinct fan zones planned.

(In 2026, the “main” Fan Zone stage where driver interviews took place was in the North half of the track, which looks like it will be Zone E in 2027.)

What you can/can’t bring

Knowing what you’re allowed to bring to the race and what’s prohibited is important when planning your Spanish GP weekend! Here’s a quick overview so you’re prepared.

Spanish Grand Prix bag rules

Backpacks and other bags brought into the circuit shouldn’t exceed measurements of 40x30cm (roughly 16×12 inches). Meaning no large backpacks or luggage can be brought with you.

Things you CANNOT bring to the Spanish GP include:

Bags larger than 40x30cm
Glass or metal bottles
Plastic bottles larger than 500ml
Outside food or drink (including alcohol)
Weapons of any kind
Drugs
Fireworks, flares, smoke bombs, laser pointers, etc.
Professional camera gear
Tripods and selfie sticks
Drones
Large portable chargers (they need to be smaller than a smartphone)
Portable speakers and megaphones
Aerosol cans (this includes aerosol sunscreen)
Bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc.
Chairs, tents, etc. (including small folding chairs)
Umbrellas
Strollers
Cash (the venue is cashless)

Things you CAN bring with you:

Bags smaller than 40x30cm in size
Plastic bottles smaller than 500ml
Small power banks (smaller than a mobile phone)

Track invasion info

In 2026, the only fans that will be permitted onto the track after the race for the podium ceremony will be people with certain VIP tickets. The track won’t be open to most fans.

Other race weekend events

Several teams are planning pop-up fan events around Madrid leading up to race weekend. Including:

Williams F1 Team Fan Zone – No surprise here since this is Carlos’ home race! The fan zone can be found at Plaza del Callao in Madrid from September 7-13.
McLaren Mastercard F1 Team Pop-Up – McLaren will have a pop-up store at La Vaguada Shopping Center from September 3-12, where you can find exclusive merch. No team appearances planned here, though.
F1 Arcade Madrid Watch Parties – Want to watch the race at a cool venue without going to the circuit? Check out the watch party at Madrid’s new F1 Arcade (and read my F1 Arcade review!).

What else to do in Madrid

If you’re traveling for the Spanish Grand Prix and will be staying in Madrid during your trip, here are 5 things you can do while you’re not at the track:

Take a guided tour of the Royal Palace
Go to an art museum like the Prado or Reine Sofia
Visit El Retiro Park and see the Crystal Palace
Go on a Spanish food tour with Devour
See a flamenco show

Who’s ready to plan a trip to the Spanish Grand Prix?