F1 News: Homeboy Carlos Sainz Heartily Welcomes Madrid to F1 as Spanish Grand Prix Hosts From 2026

The 2026 season will not only mark the start of a new era for the sport with engine regulations but also for the Spanish GP. For weeks, rumors of the Spanish GP venue change had been swirling around with reports suggesting a presentation event scheduled for 23rd January. Well, the day came and all the rumors were true, come 2026, the Spanish GP will have a brand new venue in Madrid replacing Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. This news has sent a burst of excitement in the F1 circles and consumed Carlos Sainz as well.

Firstly, it is exciting news for the fans because the newly built Spanish GP track in Madrid will be a hybrid between street and traditional F1 track. Moreover, unlike the previous track, fans won’t have to travel away from the city as the new circuit will become the most accessible venue on the calendar.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also expressed his excitement and said, “Madrid is an incredible city, with a long history of hosting some of the biggest sporting events in the world. Today’s announcement begins an exciting new chapter for the Spanish Grand Prix, which will see Madrid become a benchmark for European races on the F1 calendar.“

However, no one could match the excitement of the Madrid-born Ferrari man Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard had admitted in the past that his dream circuit would be a Madrid hybrid track, and he’s gotten exactly that, from 2026 onwards. Sainz showcased his enthusiasm for this incredible news by sharing the official announcement tweet on X with his feelings expressed in the caption.

The caption read, “As a Spaniard and as a Madrileño, I’m proud of such a special day. Welcome back to Madrid @F1!🇪🇸 See you in 2026!” 

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This news also gives a glimpse into F1’s skyrocketing popularity. The sport has been attracting interest and investment from all directions and now Madrid wants a bite of the cheery. In fact, the sport has become so lucrative that the shift in venue alone will be a multi-billion-dollar affair for the city of Madrid.

What the citizens of Madrid can cheer for after the official venue change and new track announcement

Everywhere it goes, the circus makes a tremendous impact and has a lingering effect and Madrid will not be an exception. Madrid will build a new circuit right in the middle of the city, which will have massive socio-economic impacts. The impacts were highlighted by the woman who has been the driving force behind making this deal a possibility and bringing F1 to Madrid, the Community President Isabel Díaz Ayuso.

She highlighted how the F1 project will create billions in revenue and create thousands of jobs in her attempt to win the vote of confidence in internal politics.

“F1 is great news because it shows that Madrid is fashionable in the world, a place where investment wants to reach. We estimate that it will mean around 4.5 billion euros for the Madrid economy, it will mean the creation of 8,200 jobs,” she began.

“It will also allow 850,000 tourists get to know Madrid first and then the rest of Spain. 119 million people would follow us every year, 70 million on television, and 49 [million] through the internet. It is a unique opportunity to promote Madrid as a business place and, above all, to improve our image as an international sports capital,” she added.

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These mouth-watering and honestly shocking numbers were enough to convince everyone in the political chambers that F1 is a good thing. Now, like Sainz, we all impatiently wait to see F1’s newest state-of-the-art circuit, 2026 can’t come sooner.