article-image

Madrid Grand Prix added to F1 2026 race calendar as Imola dropped

0
0

The new Madrid Grand Prix has been announced as the Formula One calendar for the 2026 championship was revealed on Tuesday. 

The race in the capital of Spain will be one of two tracks in the country, along with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

It remains a 24-race schedule as the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola in Italy was dropped from the calendar.

The 2026 campaign will start in Australia on March 6-8 and finish in Abu Dhabi on December 4-6.

Both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will be held again in April, as Ramadan will take place throughout February and March.

The calendar also sees an improvement to the geographical flow of races. The Canadian Grand Prix now follows the race in Miami while all races in Europe will take place one after the other, starting with Monaco on June 5-7 and ending with Madrid on September 11-13.

F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said: "2026 will be a new era for Formula 1 where we will witness a brand-new set of regulations for our sport, the cars and the engines that will be powered by 100% sustainable fuel.

"We are excited to welcome Madrid to the calendar, and to see huge automotive brands like Audi, Cadillac and Ford join the Formula 1 grid.

"It promises to be an unforgettable season, where once again we will come together at 24 amazing global venues to watch the best drivers in the world push themselves to the limit and produce incredible wheel to wheel racing for our millions of fans watching around the globe."

President of the FIA Mohammed Ben Sulayem added: "Next year's FIA Formula One World Championship marks a significant new chapter for our sport. A new race, new teams, and the arrival of new manufacturers, all ushering in a fresh era of innovation and competition.

"With 24 Grands Prix across five continents, the season truly reflects the global nature of our community, while the improved geographical flow of the calendar shows our joint commitment to making the championship more efficient and sustainable."