Madrid F1 circuit finally taking shape

The new Madrid Formula 1 circuit is finally beginning to look race-ready, easing months of uncertainty over whether the ambitious Madring project would be completed in time for next month’s Spanish GP.

AS newspaper visited the venue in recent days and reports that the track itself is complete, the pit building and pitlane are in place, and most grandstands and hospitality structures are now standing.

"The best thing of all, which we’ve always said but no one ever believed, is that the construction is going according to plan," IFEMA Formula 1 communications chief Nira Juanco told the Spanish newspaper.

"Almost all the grandstands are up, the hospitality areas, the structures. The only thing left is the most visible area from the road, the one closest to Valdebebas, a giant Fan Zone that will be the last thing built."

"But we’re on schedule, because everything is going according to plan."

Juanco admits the scale of building a new Formula 1 venue from scratch has been daunting.

"It’s very complicated to do a project like this: to build a Formula 1 circuit from scratch, to develop an area as large as this part of Valdebebas, a banked curve like La Monumental, to get all the licences and permits, to sell grandstands without knowing where they were going to be."

"It has been quite a challenge, but very beautiful."

Madrid has borrowed heavily from other modern Formula 1 events.

"In Miami, the track runs around Hard Rock Stadium and has certain similarities - many VIP areas, like ours, and that Miami layout was a great fit for Madrid."

"Also Mexico, because we have huge Fan Zones, and they have a fantastic fan base and fan experience. Melbourne also has huge Fan Zones, enormous spaces that are very well filled with things, because it gives you the feeling that you always have something to do."

The September 11-13 weekend is already effectively sold out, with more than 120,000 spectators expected per day and approximately 380,000 across the event.

Before Formula 1 arrives, Formula 3 will conduct test running on August 24 and 25 as a full operational rehearsal.

"It’s for everything, for all our internal operations - security, marshals, medical centre, restaurants, access points, parking," Juanco said.

"It will be good to start with this mini-test and not directly in an F1 Grand Prix."

She says the circuit has also passed its recent FIA inspections without issue.

"The last one was on Monday, and everything is in place, perfectly fine. There haven’t been any problems."