Angel LemusThe F1 Exhibition in Madrid can mark a before and after in Spanish Motorsports. Being able to hold an event of this magnitude in the capital of Spain gave all Motorsport fans in this country the opportunity to see the history of this sport up close. This is one of many demonstrations around the world that F1 will do. At the opening of this event, the president of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, declared that Madrid could host the Spanish Grand Prix in a few years. In addition, the president stressed that the IFEMA area, the place where the F1 Exhibition was held, is the favourite to host the race, ahead of the traditional Jarama circuit.
Madrid has already chosen Grand Prix. The Jarama track, located in San Sebastián De Los Reyes, already hosted 10 races in the premier motor category between 1967 and 1981. Rumor right now places the next urban circuit in Madrid as the favorite to host the Spanish Grand Prix, substituting the Montmelo circuit. What would make a Spanish urban circuit to host an F1 Grand Prix again, the last one was the urban circuit of Valencia.
In this year’s calendar there are 7 races that are held on an urban circuit, which is a third of the total. In addition, for this year the Las Vegas Grand Prix has been added. A race that promises to be different from the rest, with the expectation that it will be different from the rest and hold the Grand Prix on a Saturday morning in European time.
Liberty Media, in favor of the urban
At the beginning of the century, Formula 1 had only 2 urban Grand Prix, in Monaco and in Australia. Later, for the year 2008, the Singapore and Valencia circuits were introduced. Valencia would last until 2012. In 2016 Baku would enter. Due to the pandemic, Australia fell off the calendar for 2 seasons, but returned last year. Wanting to bring the product closer to the Americans made Miami and Las Vegas on the calendar.
Urban circuits and wanting to bring the show closer to the viewer is one of Liberty Media’s measures, along with the Sprint races that increase year by year.
In addition to Madrid, the capital of England also has the possibility of hosting a Grand Prix through the streets of its city, Max Farrell, General Director of the LDN Collective, declared “We know that Formula 1 is interested in hosting a Grand Prix in London and we have designed a track that meets all their requirements and regulations”.
Monaco, in the spotlight of F1
The Monte Carlo track is one of the most anticipated each year by fans, and this Grand Prix is one of the most important in Motorsport. The Monaco Grand Prix is one of three that make up the Triple Crown, along with the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Indianapolis 500. Monaco’s problem is one of its essences, which for Ayrton Senna was a blessing, is a problem for F1 cars today. Its narrow streets, which nowadays do not allow a race with many overtaking. What could make the most urban and traditional circuit in Motorsport history fall off the calendar to be able to run in other urban ones. Something that would mean losing the tradition of a circuit that according to Hamilton “is always the biggest challenge of each year”.
