Ferrari Set for Landmark Filming Day at Madrid's Madring Circuit

Ferrari is set to make Formula 1 history this week by becoming the first team to run a current-generation car at Madrid's new Madring circuit, previewing the venue ahead of its inaugural Spanish Grand Prix in September.

Why it matters:

The filming day gives Ferrari a rare head start. While limited to 200km, the session offers the team an early chance to learn the 5.416km layout before the race weekend, providing valuable insight into the 22-corner track. For Madring's organizers, it serves as a critical operational rehearsal to validate procedures and infrastructure before the full grid arrives.

The details:

• Historic debut: The SF-26 will lap the circuit on Thursday, becoming the first F1 car to run at the Spanish capital's newest venue, including its distinctive 'La Monumental' banked section.
• Shared duties: Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are expected to split driving time, gaining crucial familiarity with a circuit where neither has prior race experience.
• Regulatory limits: Running is capped at 200km on demonstration tires, preventing performance runs but still allowing the team to assess surface characteristics and track flow.
• Venue readiness: With construction on grandstands and paddock facilities recently completed, Ferrari's appearance will act as a key validation of the circuit's transition from building site to grand prix host.

What's next:

The Scuderia heads to Madrid with renewed momentum after winning two of the last three races, following Hamilton's Barcelona triumph and Leclerc's Silverstone victory. Though Mercedes remains 78 points clear at the top of the Constructors' standings, this early track knowledge could prove decisive when F1 returns to Madring from September 11-13. Any operational wrinkles discovered during the filming day can now be addressed well before the race weekend.