Earlier this year, it was announced that Madrid would be the new host of the Spanish Grand Prix. With a ten-year deal signed from 2026 to 2035. The FIA just announced that the grand prix will now also feature the FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 championships.
The newly signed ten-year deal brings the junior serieses to Madrid. This was to give more fans the opportunity to witness the young talents racing their way up to Formula One.
The FIA F2 and F3 CEO Bruno Michel, President of the Executive Committee of IFEMA MADRID José Vincente de los Mozos,Executive Vice-President of IFEMA MADRID Daniel Martinéz as well as the General Director of the F1 IFEMA Madrid Luis García Abad came together to sign the agreement.
The new IFEMA MADRID Circuit will be the location of the weekend. It is being built around the world-class IFEMA exhibition centre and Valdebebas. It will feature 20 corners with a length of 5.47km.
By allowing both the F2 and F3 championships to race at the circuit on the same weekend as Formula One. It is proof of the organisers commitment to deliver an exceptional sporting and entertainment experience for the fans.
Significance of the Junior Serieses
The FIA Formula 2 championship, formally known as the GP2 series until 2017 was created with the intention to support Formula One and develop young talent. Many of the former F2 champions have indeed moved onto F1 as household names. 2017 champion Charles Leclerc, 2018 champion George Russell and 2021 champion Oscar Piastri are just some of its many success stories.
Its junior counterpart, the FIA Formula 3 championship plays a similar role in allowing young drivers to show off their talents with the hopes of being promoted into more senior motorsport serieses. Russell, Piastri and the 2024 F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto all won the F3 championship in their rookie season. They proceeded to F2 the next year.
What the organisers have to say
FIA F2 and F3 CEO Bruno Michel is excited for the young drivers and their future races.
“I am extremely happy to bring F2 and F3 to Madrid, at this exciting new venue. It’s important that the young drivers in both our championships get to race on as many F1 tracks as possible. With the addition of Madrid to the Formula 1 calendar, it was logical that F2 and F3 would follow suit. I am really looking forward to our cars providing the spectators with some thrilling racing.”
While José Vicente de los Mozos highlighted the importance of the junior serieses in his statement on the ten-year deal.
“At IFEMA Madrid, we are very proud to bring F2 and F3 to our Grand Prix alongside F1, as our goal is to make the F1 Spanish Grand Prix 2026-2035 the best event possible. The FIA F2 and FIA F3 categories are fundamental for the future of the sport, as they produce the future stars of F1. This makes the Spanish Grand Prix 2026-2035 an even more unmissable event, offering fans a complete experience full of talent, spectacle, and excitement, with a unique motorsport offering.”
