Ferrari breaks ground at new Madring circuit

Madrid Madring circuit is one of the most talked-about moments of the 2026 F1 season so far. Scuderia Ferrari is set to become the first Formula 1 team to run a current car on the brand-new Madring layout, with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc behind the wheel.

Ferrari filming day at Madrid Madring circuit: what is happening?

Hamilton and Leclerc are heading to Madrid on Thursday for a filming day at the Madring, the 5.416 km, 22-corner circuit that will host the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time this September.

The session will mark the first time a current F1 car has turned a wheel on the layout, and Ferrari is doing it with the SF-26 rather than pulling an older car out of storage. That is a big deal. It means the data Ferrari gathers is genuinely useful for the 2026 season.

Officially, it will be called a filming day, a session dedicated to promotional activities, with the regulations allowing up to 200 km of running between Hamilton and Leclerc. F1 regulations restrict every team to just two filming days annually, and Ferrari used the first at Monza back on April 22, where Leclerc debuted a significant package of SF-26 updates ahead of Miami. Thursday’s Madring run is their last one of the year.

There is also a financial angle here. Madring invited Ferrari and is covering all the costs. Under F1’s financial regulations, expenses absorbed by the host promoter do not hit the team’s cost cap the same way a conventional test would. Smart business from both sides.

Ferrari First to Hit New Madring Circuit

Why this Ferrari filming day at the Madring circuit matters

With both race drivers sharing duties, Ferrari will begin building a picture of the circuit’s characteristics well ahead of the September race weekend, intelligence that carries considerable value given there is no historical data to draw upon.

While F1’s rules restrict how much running Ferrari can do, even the short outing with the current car will be hugely valuable in giving Ferrari real-world data of the Madring track layout and its surface. Even though the speeds will not be as high as at the actual race weekend, such early knowledge can be especially helpful with the current rules set, as grip levels through corners can have a significant impact on energy management.

For Ferrari, the opportunity to gather even limited data on braking points, kerb characteristics and circuit layout before their rivals have set foot on the venue is a tangible competitive advantage, however small the mileage permitted under filming day rules.

Ferrari is also riding a wave of form. Leclerc won at Silverstone last weekend, the team’s second victory of the 2026 season following Hamilton’s win in Barcelona, and the SF-26 has been showing genuine pace recently. You can read more about that result in our piece on why Leclerc silenced his critics with the British GP win.

A circuit still under pressure to finish on time

Our journalist based in Spain confirmed what several reports have also suggested: the Madring circuit is nearly ready, but there is still a huge amount of construction activity on site. The pressure is fully on to have everything ready in time for the Spanish Grand Prix. Racing on the track itself is certain, but the surrounding facilities still need to be completed. That is the real challenge ahead.

The most surprising aspect of Ferrari’s filming day is the speed at which it was organised, as until just a few days ago the Madring was still an active construction site, at least regarding the grandstands and paddock infrastructure. A recent visit by media had shown that work was still underway across several areas of the venue.

Regarding the track itself, the 5.416 km circuit featuring 22 corners and a long banked section is complete, and Ferrari’s presence will provide further confirmation of the progress made. Beyond the Scuderia being able to gain initial track knowledge, the filming day offers Madring organisers a valuable opportunity to verify the facility’s operations with an F1 car.

The Madring circuit in its present state is described as incomplete and yet to be FIA-homologated. “No kerbs, no garages nor pitlane finished,” said a source close to the event organisers. Yet the Ferrari filming day at the Madrid Madring circuit will go ahead regardless, and it will show everyone exactly where things stand.

What Ferrari can actually learn from this run

As per the regulations, teams can only run demo Pirelli tyres during filming days, and not the 2026-spec racing rubber. That limits ultimate speed. But the layout knowledge, the surface feel, the braking zones and the infamous La Monumental banked section are all things Ferrari can study in detail.

La Monumental is the circuit’s most striking feature, a 550 m banked curve of more than 270 degrees with 24 degrees of banking. It is expected to become the signature corner of the Madrid Grand Prix. Getting comfortable with that corner before anyone else is a real strategic plus.

Previously, in 2025, Carlos Sainz completed a show run in a Williams on one of the circuit’s straights before driving a Mustang around the full layout earlier this year. But this is the first time a proper current-spec F1 car will tackle the full circuit at pace.

Is Ferrari now the favourite for the Spanish GP?

This Ferrari filming day at the Madrid Madring circuit does not guarantee a win in September. The rules cap what can be learned on a filming day. But the head start in circuit knowledge is real. This would be of grave concern for Ferrari’s rivals, as the Scuderia will be the first team to get acclimatised to the track, even before the first Friday FP1 session is run in September.

The Madring deal runs through 2035, making Madrid the only European capital on the F1 calendar for at least the next decade. The race weekend itself is scheduled for September 11 to 13. For Ferrari, that means this circuit could matter for many years to come. Getting there first, even once, is a smart move.

Ferrari’s rivals will be watching closely. The Macarena wing controversy has already kept teams busy this summer, and now Ferrari adds another edge. For more on how the 2026 Constructors’ Championship is shaping up, check the latest on our Ferrari team profile and follow the official 2026 F1 standings on formula1.com.