Racing
© fuji.tim
Ferrari completed the first full Formula 1 running at Madrid’s new Madring circuit without significant problems, covering 200 kilometres with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton in a key step toward the Spanish Grand Prix on 11-13 September.
The Thursday promotional filming day was the first time F1 cars had run the entire 5.416-kilometre layout. With 66 days to go before Madrid’s first race on the venue, the session gave organizers their first chance to assess the circuit under conditions close to a grand prix weekend.
Madring’s operator said the track had “successfully hosted its first F1 appearance” and described the outing as “a valuable opportunity to validate the operational procedures and the race-track infrastructure under real deployment conditions before its debut in the FIA Formula One World Championship calendar.”
Ferrari split the mileage between Leclerc and Hamilton in the SF-26 and used the full filming-day allowance, reported as 100 kilometres per driver, or about 32 laps in total. For the team, the run provided functional data. For the circuit, it served as a live rehearsal for logistics, equipment deployment and operational coordination.
That does not mean the circuit is fully finished. Reports from the day noted that parts of the grandstands and public areas still have to be built, even if the track’s operation itself ran as expected. The sporting value for Ferrari was also limited by the conditions, with one report describing the test as probably “not entirely decisive” because the car ran on special Pirelli compounds and the surface is unlikely to offer the same grip level it will have by race weekend.
Even so, the absence of any relevant issues matters for a brand-new track on a tight schedule. Luis García Abad, Madrid Grand Prix director, said the validation process had been part of the plan from the beginning: “From the start, we made it clear that we wanted to arrive at the Grand Prix with a fully validated and tested circuit. In a new project, it is essential to verify every element related to safety, operations and the sporting side in the way it is planned.”
The next and more complete test comes on 24-25 August, when Formula 3 will hold an official session at Madring. Organizers see that running as the final validation of the circuit’s sporting, operational and safety procedures before Madrid hosts its first Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix on 13 September.