Montoya: New Madrid circuit is the first 2026 track to make me want to race again

Juan Pablo Montoya has walked hundreds of race tracks over the years, but the new Madring circuit made him stop and take notice. Speaking on F1 TV's Weekend Warm-Up ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, the former F1 driver revealed that the 5.4km, 22-turn semi-street circuit in Madrid is the first track of the 2026 season that made him want to get back behind the wheel.

Why it matters:

The Spanish Grand Prix represents a step into the unknown for every team. After Monza's Mercedes 1-2 with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, the grid now faces a layout with no prior data, elevation changes and unforgiving barriers. Montoya's early walk left him genuinely impressed, and his comments underline just how demanding the new venue could be.

The details:

• Montoya walked the circuit twice — once in a road car a few weeks ago and again during the pre-race track walk. He does these walks regularly because his son races in Formula 2.
• "Out of all the tracks we've been to this year, it's the first time I've gone, 'This would be unbelievable,'" he said.
• He praised the old-style nature of the layout: "A lot of the corners are blind, with barriers inside and out. The guy who gets closer to the apex is the one closest to the wall."
• "Anybody can run a wide line, a little here, a little there, but if you put a barrier on it, you've got to be perfect. That is the level of commitment you need," Montoya added.
• The circuit blends street sections with permanent track elements, and Montoya believes the track map doesn't do justice to its elevation and blind corners.

What's next:

Friday practice will give drivers their first real taste of Madring. With high commitment required and no historical benchmarks, the weekend could shake up the order. Montoya, for one, is already sold on the circuit's character.