New problems
The 2026 Spanish Grand Prix will, as is well known, move from Barcelona to Madrid. While it is still unclear whether and how the Catalan circuit will remain on the Formula 1 calendar, the new street circuit in the capital is facing several issues. Having overcome the economic deadlock, with private funds to be used to support the event—about 400 million over 10 years—there are now local laws that are putting a spoke in the wheel of the organization.
The particular situation was detailed by the daily newspaper El Pais, which in a recent article revealed that the Madrid Formula 1 Grand Prix will cause noise levels during the weekend to exceed the legal limits for that area of the city. During free practice, qualifying, and the race, the noise would exceed 80 dB, the threshold established by current regulations regarding noise pollution.
Too much noise, the idea of ‘eviction’ emerges
This awareness has led the Regional Ministry of Environment, Agriculture, and the Interior of the Community of Madrid to include in a report various options to address the issue: one is for the municipal council to approve a waiver (as provided by law and the corresponding ordinance) to comply with the regulations; another option is to modify the layout of the circuit to move it further from the nearest homes and to build sound barriers to ‘protect’ the surrounding areas; finally, the most controversial idea is to consider temporarily relocating residents in areas close to the circuit to avoid inconvenience, “given the relatively short duration of the races.”
In the resolution of the Directorate-General for Energy Transition and Circular Economy, which formulates the environmental impact report for the Formula 1 circuit project in Madrid, it is stated that “alternative measures [to suspension of the limits] are recommended, given the relatively short period of the motor racing events, such as the temporary relocation of the affected population or the strict limitation of potentially incoming traffic due to participation in the events.” The final consideration is that the noise impact cannot be considered “severe” due to the “short duration” of an event that lasts “about thirteen hours” a year.
Not only residents are involved
However, it will not only be the residents of the area who are affected by the arrival of F1 in Madrid. Nearby, where the circuit will be built, there will also be commercial activities—such as a golf course and a service station—whose normal operations will be impacted by F1. Regarding these, the promoter has indicated “that compensation measures will be planned to be determined at a later stage.”
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