Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Formula 3’s first official test at Madrid’s new Madring delivered an accident-filled but encouraging shakedown for Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix debut, with the circuit operational despite dust and low grip causing repeated interruptions.
Thirty cars from 10 teams ran for six hours on each of two days at the 5.416-kilometre, 22-corner semi-urban circuit around IFEMA. The running gave the FIA a full-scale dress rehearsal less than three weeks before Formula 1 is scheduled to race there on September 11-13.
The main challenge was not the track’s underlying condition but the dirt blown onto it by wind from nearby construction areas. The resulting low-grip surface caught out several drivers on Monday, bringing a string of red flags across the lap.
Maciej Gladysz crashed at Turn 5, while Freddie Slater hit the wall at Turn 10 and Bruno del Pino stopped at Turn 12. Christian Ho had an incident at Turn 18, while Fernando Barrichello and Jin Nakamura both made wall contact at Turn 17.
Slater nevertheless set the pace on both days. The Audi junior recorded a 1:50.343 on Monday, then improved to 1:49.685 on Tuesday, narrowly beating his title rival Ugo Ugochukwu.
FIA officials and Formula 1 team personnel attending the test assessed the circuit itself positively. The asphalt, kerbs and safety installations were considered in good condition, even as the surrounding construction activity affected the surface available to the Formula 3 field.
Work remains on the venue’s presentation and access infrastructure. Some access roads are unfinished, as are certain pit boxes, the Village Zone and one grandstand, but the outstanding jobs are concentrated away from the core racing and safety infrastructure.
Formula 3 will return for its 2026 season finale during the Formula 1 weekend, when Madrid takes over the Spanish Grand Prix title from Barcelona for the first time. The test showed Madring has its essential systems in place, but the final weeks before Formula 1 arrives will be crucial to remove the construction-related grip problem that defined its first official running.