A big change was slated to happen to the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix in 2026. Making room for a new participant was the street circuit in Madrid, replacing the well-known Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, which has been an integral part of the racing calendar since 1991. With a rumored 10-year deal beginning in 2026, signs pointed to Madrid’s acquisition as the most probable course of events.
There have been hints that Madrid would host the Spanish Grand Prix starting in 2026, based on reports from Formula 1. With a deal that stretched until 2026, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya may find a substitute. There were suspicions that two Spanish races might eventually happen, with Barcelona retaining the Spanish Grand Prix.
The fascination behind F1 increasing the number of street circuits
In the bygone days, Monaco stood as the quintessential street track, demanding drivers to push their cars to the limits to achieve the best lap time. With its physically taxing course full of curves and twists, the Singapore Grand Prix has grown into a serious threat over the years. Nevertheless, F1’s approach has evolved dramatically over the past seasons.
🇪🇸 @F1 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid from 2026.
That roundabout is crazy! 🤯#FormulaOne #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/SMyk3hXYOi
— 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙾𝙳𝙾𝚁𝙴 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙽 (@TheoPershin) December 6, 2023
As new venues emerged, the spotlight shifted to creating street circuits inside metropolitan spaces. This alteration forced the number of these tracks to gradually rise each season. Between the 2014 to the 2024 season witnessed an increase in street circuits from three to six. In contrast to earlier times when a street circuit was more about the fascination around it, these particular ones are often seen in the schedule.
With Madrid possibly joining the mix in 2026, there would be seven street circuits, which could pose concerns regarding the future of F1.
Buzz around the newly created street circuits
Concerns about whether F1 had reached an impasse regarding the sheer number of street tracks on the schedule surfaced when the series thought about adding another street race to take over one of the classic circuits. A lot of supporters voiced their displeasure when Madrid was announced as the new team that would replace Barcelona in the Formula 1 cycle.
Another classical F1 track is about to bite the dust for an average street track
Max Verstappen had already warned us numerous times about it
F1 is losing its soul…..
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) December 5, 2023
However, the distinction between a track illuminated in Jeddah and one in Las Vegas is harder to tell apart. A particular event came recently on the street circuit at Sin City, when reigning world champion Max Verstappen raised his displeasure, feeling cut out of the whole pompous exhibition. The sport was founded under the assumption that ardent supporters would stick with the team irrespective of what alterations are made.
But there have been significant changes in recent years, that have pushed fans to open up more. However, it is still up to the fans to decide if the sport has reached a tipping point when it comes to the quantity of street tracks.