With just six months to go before the scheduled Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, a new controversy has emerged between the event organizers and the Real Federación Española de Automovilismo (RFEdA), casting serious doubt over the race.
On February 24, the Toyota GR Cup Spain published its calendar for the upcoming season, listing an event at the Madring circuit on August 15–16, less than a month before the planned F1 Spanish Grand Prix. Support categories such as Spanish F4 and Eurocup-3 were also expected to take part in that weekend.
However, a significant obstacle has now surfaced—one that not only jeopardizes the August events but also puts the September Grand Prix itself at risk. The circuit’s owners have clarified that no signed agreements exist to host the August races, nor has the necessary competition license been granted. Despite preliminary verbal understandings discussed since the early stages of the Formula 1 project, there is currently no definitive confirmation that those support races will take place.
RFEdA statements and conditions
The RFEdA, led by president Manuel Aviñó, has adopted a firm stance: “If there is no prior event, there will be no Grand Prix.”
In statements to SoyMotor, Aviñó explained that authorizing a Formula 1 Grand Prix requires at least one preceding race—such as the August event—to serve as a full-scale “test event” on the circuit. This trial race would verify that every operational and safety element functions correctly, including:
- track resurfacing quality;
- run-off areas;
- access routes for recovery cranes;
- overall safety measures and procedures.
The objective is “to verify that everything works correctly and to find solutions to any potential issues” before Formula 1 arrives. Without this verification process, the RFEdA will not issue the organizational permit required for FIA homologation.
The federation has pointed to recent precedents. It cited the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, where poorly sealed manhole covers caused significant incidents during free practice, as a cautionary example. Conversely, it referenced Valencia in 2008, when a Spanish F3 race allowed organizers to identify and correct defects ahead of the European Formula 1 event.
According to the RFEdA, allowing Formula 1 to debut directly at a brand-new circuit without a prior test event would be unacceptable, both to safeguard safety standards and to protect the prestige of Madrid, Spain and the federation itself.
FIA recommendations and broader context
The FIA strongly recommends that new circuits host at least one lower-category event before staging a Formula 1 Grand Prix, precisely to minimize safety risks and operational uncertainties. Without such a “test race,” authorization for the September event will not be granted.
At present, no licenses have been issued for the proposed August races, and the circuit does not consider them 100% confirmed. While the Formula 1 debut in Madrid remains on the calendar for September, it is explicitly conditional on the successful organization of at least one summer test event.
If that requirement is not met, the RFEdA has made it clear that it will block the organization of the Spanish Grand Prix at Madring. For Formula 1, this developing political and regulatory clash could transform what was meant to be a landmark debut into one of the most delicate calendar issues of the season.
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