Antonelli wins as F1 returns to Madrid after 45 years amid some track criticism

The Italian Mercedes driver took victory at Madrid’s newly built Madring circuit after an unfortunate turn of events cost pole-sitter Lando Norris what had appeared likely to be a win.

Norris had led the early stages but was unable to enter the pits when a virtual safety car was deployed following a problem for Lance Stroll. Antonelli was able to stop and emerged ahead of the McLaren, while Norris eventually finished third behind Max Verstappen.

‘Lucky for the virtual safety car, feel a bit bad for Lando,’ Antonelli said over the radio after the race.

‘It’s good to win, but it doesn’t feel as good because I think Lando today deserved to win,’ he later added.

Norris described himself as ‘insanely unlucky’, saying there had been nothing he could do about the timing of the virtual safety car.

For Spain’s two home drivers, the afternoon was less successful. Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz made contact while fighting towards the back of the field, with Sainz receiving a five-second penalty before later retiring. Alonso finished near the back of the field.

King Felipe VI was among those attending Sunday’s race.

Formula 1 returns to Madrid after 45 years

The result, however, was only one part of a weekend intended to establish Madrid as one of Formula 1’s major new international venues.

Sunday’s race was the first Formula 1 Grand Prix held in the Madrid region since 1981, when Gilles Villeneuve won at the Jarama circuit outside the capital. ALSO READ: Spain to host two grand prix in 2026 as Formula One adds Madrid to calendar.

The new Madring is very different. Built around the IFEMA Madrid exhibition complex and Valdebebas, between central Madrid and Barajas airport, the 5.4-kilometre circuit combines existing roads with specially constructed sections and has 22 corners. ALSO READ: Madrid to host Formula One race from 2026 around IFEMA exhibition centre.

The venue has a 10-year contract to host the Spanish Grand Prix and forms part of Formula 1’s increasing emphasis on major city-based events that combine racing with tourism, hospitality and entertainment.

Madrid authorities had predicted around 350,000 attendances across the three-day event and an annual economic impact of approximately €450 million, together with the creation of thousands of jobs.

One of the circuit’s principal selling points is its accessibility. Unlike many Formula 1 venues, Madring can be reached by public transport from central Madrid, with the city’s Metro, suburban rail and bus services reinforced for the weekend.

Its most distinctive section is ‘La Monumental’, a long, steeply banked corner surrounded by grandstands. Another section, ‘El Bunker’, takes its name from two Republican defensive bunkers dating from the Spanish Civil War, which were preserved during construction of the track.

Spectacle – but questions over the racing

The circuit won praise from drivers for being fast, demanding and technically challenging, but its suitability for producing competitive racing was questioned throughout the weekend.

Before Sunday’s race, Max Verstappen said changes could be considered in future to improve overtaking.

‘In terms of track design I think it can be better,’ he said. ‘Input from drivers in the future on track design can also help a lot … If you want to have better racing, overtaking, I think there can be a few corners that can be changed.’

Norris had also questioned the length of the pit lane, arguing that a shorter one would encourage drivers to make more stops and potentially create additional overtaking opportunities.

Those fears were largely borne out on Sunday, with relatively little passing and much of the field struggling to make progress.

Specialist motor-racing outlet The Race was particularly critical in its post-race assessment, describing Madrid’s debut as ‘a massive missed opportunity’. Its writers praised Madring as a demanding circuit for drivers over a single qualifying lap but criticised the lack of conventional braking areas where cars could realistically overtake.

The concerns were particularly significant because Madring is an entirely new venue rather than an historic street circuit whose layout Formula 1 has inherited.

High ticket prices and soaring accommodation costs

The arrival of Formula 1 also brought considerable expense for spectators.

Three-day general admission tickets originally started at around €195, although the cheapest tickets sold quickly, while grandstand packages ranged from approximately €324 to almost €800 depending on location.

Some fans complained on social media during the weekend about restricted views from expensive seats and about being confined to particular zones of the venue, with limited freedom to move around the circuit.

The Spanish consumer organisation OCU had already formally complained about some of the conditions imposed on spectators, including restrictions on leaving and re-entering the venue and bringing in food and drink. It argued that the combination could effectively turn spectators into captive consumers once inside.

Accommodation prices also surged as tens of thousands of visitors arrived in Madrid.

In Valdebebas, immediately beside the circuit, some short-term properties were advertised for thousands of euros for the weekend, with exceptional listings approaching €20,000. Estate agents reported that some residents who would not normally rent out their homes had decided to do so because of the demand generated by Formula 1.

Prices also rose sharply in some of Madrid’s more exclusive central districts, including Salamanca, Chamberí and Chamartín, as wealthy visitors, sponsors and corporate guests sought accommodation.

Residents protest against noise and disruption

Not everyone in Madrid welcomed Formula 1’s arrival.

A few hundred residents demonstrated ahead of Sunday’s race, with protesters wearing yellow shirts and carrying banners opposing the event.

Residents in areas close to the circuit had complained for months about construction work, road closures, traffic disruption, the environmental impact and, in particular, noise.

The Stop F1 Madrid campaign said measurements taken during Formula 3 testing before the Grand Prix had recorded average levels of more than 102 decibels, with peaks above 109 decibels.

Madrid City Council said acoustic screens, natural barriers and other measures would be used to reduce the impact and argued that Formula 1 cars would produce less noise than the Formula 3 vehicles used during testing.

Environmental campaigners have also objected to the construction of a large motor-racing circuit in a city increasingly affected by extreme summer heat, as well as raising concerns over trees and wildlife habitat affected by the development.

Regional and city authorities have defended the project, arguing that the international exposure, tourism and economic activity generated by Formula 1 justify the disruption.

The Madrid authorities estimate the Grand Prix could generate around €450 million in economic activity annually. A separate study cited by organisers has put the potential impact even higher, at €467 million.

For Formula 1 and Madrid, Sunday’s race was therefore about considerably more than who crossed the finishing line first.

The capital successfully delivered a Grand Prix despite earlier doubts over whether the ambitious new circuit would be completed in time, brought huge crowds to the north-east of the city and returned Formula 1 racing to Madrid after an absence of four and a half decades.

But its first weekend also left organisers with questions to address before Formula 1 returns next year – from the lack of overtaking on the track to the cost and experience for spectators and the impact of a major international motor race on the people who live alongside it.