Less than two weeks before the first Grand Prix held at the Madring, the theft of hundreds of meters of electrical cables has triggered a police investigation.
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The preparation for the new Spanish Grand Prix has just encountered a rather unexpected setback. As Madrid is set to host Formula 1 for the first time from September 11 to 13, a police investigation has been opened following the alleged theft of a significant amount of electrical cables on the Madring.
According to the Spanish media ABC, about 300 meters of wiring have disappeared from the new circuit, located within the IFEMA complex, near Madrid-Barajas airport and the Real Madrid training center. An incident that occurs less than two weeks before the first Grand Prix held on this track.
300 meters of electrical cables stolen
Spanish authorities are now seeking to determine the exact circumstances of the theft and identify those responsible. The cables in question are said to have been stolen from a part of the circuit passing through a tunnel.
This clue would place the incident around turns 17 and 18 of the Madring. Despite the proximity of the Grand Prix, backup solutions and various emergency plans have already been planned to prevent the incident from disrupting the event.
At this stage, there is therefore no indication that this theft could call into question the organization of the race weekend. However, it constitutes a particularly unwelcome problem as preparations enter their final stretch.
The Madring prepares for its Formula 1 debut
The new Madrid circuit will host its first Grand Prix from September 11 to 13. Starting this 2026 season, Madrid has taken over the name of the Spanish Grand Prix, previously associated with the event held in Barcelona.
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Located around the IFEMA complex, the Madring is one of the main new additions to the calendar. Organizers are now engaged in the final weeks of preparation before the arrival of teams, drivers, and several tens of thousands of spectators.
This theft therefore occurs at a particularly sensitive time, as the various systems necessary for the circuit’s operation must be tested and finalized.
Single-seaters have already run on the circuit
However, the Madring will not wait until the Grand Prix weekend to see single-seaters in action. Formula 3 recently held a test day there to prepare for its championship finale, which will be part of the Formula 1 support race program.
Ferrari has also already had the opportunity to discover the track. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had taken the wheel on the circuit earlier this year during a filming day organized by the Scuderia.
Organizers now have a few days to repair the affected installations and continue preparations. Less than two weeks before the first Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Madring, this police investigation adds an unexpected event that the new Madrid circuit would have gladly done without.
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