Ferrari has become the first Formula 1 team to officially run at the brand-new Madring circuit, using an FIA-approved filming day as an opportunity to collect valuable data ahead of the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc drove the SF-26 during the morning session, while Lewis Hamilton is scheduled to take over later in the day, allowing the Scuderia to make full use of the 200 kilometres permitted for commercial filming while also gathering crucial information about Formula 1’s newest venue.
Although Carlos Sainz was the first Formula 1 driver to experience the Madring circuit, the new street track built around Madrid’s exhibition centre that will host the Spanish Grand Prix on September 13, Ferrari became the first team to christen the 5.416-kilometre layout surrounding the IFEMA exhibition complex in the Spanish capital.
Charles Leclerc was chosen to drive the Ferrari SF-26 during the morning session, beginning the 200 kilometres that FIA regulations allow teams to complete twice each season for commercial filming activities. As required by the rules, the cars must run on special Pirelli demonstration tyres rather than the compounds approved for Grand Prix weekends.
Ferrari proved particularly shrewd in securing the circuit for its filming day. While the racing surface and pit building have already been completed, the remaining infrastructure that will make up the state-of-the-art venue—originally designed by Jarno Zaffelli before the project was taken over by architect Hermann Tilke’s studio—is still under construction.
When Charles Leclerc exited the pit lane in the Ferrari SF-26, a cloud of white dust rose into the air before he reached the fast lane, which was the only section of the pit lane that had already been fully cleaned. As the day progressed, however, the racing surface gradually became cleaner with every lap.
The Scuderia, which is alternating driving duties between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton—with the seven-time Formula 1 world champion scheduled to run in the afternoon—stands to gain a significant competitive advantage. The drivers are able to familiarise themselves with the racing lines on a circuit that no Formula 1 field has yet experienced, while Ferrari’s engineers can collect valuable telemetry to refine setup configurations and optimise electronic management strategies.
Just as importantly, the team will also gather essential information about the asphalt’s surface roughness and grip levels. Those measurements will be used to improve the virtual track model inside Ferrari’s simulator, where data for completely new circuits is typically based on estimates and therefore far less accurate.
At Maranello, Ferrari has identified a grey area within the FIA regulations that does not prevent teams from carrying out a filming day at a brand-new Formula 1 circuit. The existing restrictions appear to have been written primarily with TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) programmes in mind, rather than commercial filming activities.
Credit goes to Ferrari for demonstrating its new, highly aggressive approach. The team’s decision also categorically dismisses claims that the filming day had been funded by the Spanish Grand Prix organisers—a scenario that would undoubtedly have triggered fierce controversy from rival Formula 1 teams.
Leave a Reply