First look: Carlos Sainz completes first official lap of Madrid circuit

There are still several months to go before Formula 1 arrives in the Spanish capital, but despite the Barcelona Grand Prix taking place first on the calendar, anticipation is already building to see what kind of spectacle the Madring will deliver and how the circuit will look once fully completed during the September 11-13 weekend.

Madrid’s return to the calendar marks the end of a 45-year absence since Formula 1 last raced near the Spanish capital. The most recent edition was held in 1981 at the Jarama circuit, where Gilles Villeneuve claimed victory in a dramatic finish that saw the top five drivers separated by just one second. From this season onwards, Madrid will welcome Formula 1 with an all-new hybrid street circuit built around the IFEMA exhibition district and the nearby Valdebebas area, where Real Madrid’s training complex is located.

The Madring layout will span roughly 5.4 kilometres and include 22 corners, with one of the standout sections already being the heavily banked “Monumental” corner, featuring a 24% incline - steeper even than Zandvoort’s famous Turn 3. The Grand Prix is expected to be contested over 57 laps, while the paddock, garages and hospitality facilities will all be incorporated directly into the IFEMA venue, giving the event a unique city-style atmosphere combined with permanent infrastructure.

The Williams driver - official ambassador for the Grand Prix and a Madrid native - took to the track in a road car to offer a first taste of the new asphalt, while work on the circuit continues ahead of its Formula 1 debut in a few months’ time.

Watch Carlos Sainz’s onboard lap of the Madrid circuit at the bottom of the article.

Speaking after completing the lap, the Spaniard admitted it was a very emotional moment for him, explaining that racing in his hometown had always been one of his biggest dreams. Sainz also praised Madrid as a city he has always spoken highly of, adding that hosting a Formula 1 race will further boost its international profile.

“It’s something very difficult to describe for me because it’s something that I always dreamed about, just having the opportunity to race at my hometown. Madrid is a great city, a city that I’ve always talked well about, a city that now is getting to be known quite a bit more and that now having this Formula 1 track will be amazing.”

He then went on to describe the circuit itself, highlighting how the opening sector combines tight street-style sections with blind corners that suddenly open into much wider parts of the track, creating the sensation of entering a completely different environment from one moment to the next.

When speaking about the more twisting second sector, Sainz described it as an area where Formula 1 cars will be able to showcase their full potential at their very best: “This is incredible. This is where we’ll enjoy a Formula 1 car at its absolute best.”

Finally, Sainz put the spotlight on the famous Monumental corner, admitting it was the section that impressed him the most. The Spaniard explained that the banking alone was already striking, but what makes the corner truly special is the combination of the steep incline and the blind entry, with drivers only able to see the sky on approach. He also compared the sensation to some of the high-speed corners at Spa and Silverstone.