Formula 3 will put the MADRING circuit through its paces with two days of testing ahead of the 2026 FORMULA 1 TAG HEUER SPANISH GRAND PRIX
The FIA Formula 3 Championship will hold an official mid-season test at MADRING on 24 and 25 August, two weeks ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. In addition, the championship will conclude its season in Madrid with an extended finale featuring an additional qualifying session and a second Feature Race.
The official test will serve to validate the circuit’s sporting, operational and safety procedures under real racing conditions ahead of the FORMULA 1 TAG HEUER GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2026, scheduled to take place from 11 to 13 September.
The FIA Formula 3 Championship’s presence at MADRING will not be limited to these testing sessions. The championship has confirmed an expanded format for the final round of the 2026 season, aimed at reaching the number of events originally planned for this year following the cancellation of Bahrain. Madrid’s season finale will feature an additional qualifying session and a second Feature Race.
The revised weekend timetable will be as follows:
- Friday morning: one 45-minute Free Practice session.
- Friday afternoon: two consecutive 20-minute Qualifying sessions.
- Saturday: the Sprint Race, with the grid determined by the reverse-grid system based on the results of the first qualifying session, and the first Feature Race, with the grid set according to the same qualifying results.
- Sunday morning: the second and final Feature Race of the 2026 Formula 3 season, with the grid determined by the results of the second qualifying session.
Pole position in each qualifying session will award 2 points, while both Feature Races will award the usual points allocation, as set out in the FIA Formula 3 Sporting Regulations.
The Formula 3 tests on 24 and 25 August will provide a unique opportunity to gather highly valuable information in conditions closely resembling those of a race weekend.
Bruno Michel, CEO of FIA Formula 3, highlighted the importance of these two test days in enabling teams and drivers to familiarise themselves with and assess the challenges of MADRING ahead of the conclusion of the 2026 season, which will feature an enhanced finale in Madrid following the cancellation of the Bahrain round.
Luis García Abad, Director of the FORMULA 1 TAG HEUER GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2026, emphasised that the tests will allow the circuit to be validated under real operating conditions, particularly in terms of safety, operations and competition. He also thanked Formula 3 for its collaboration, which will make it possible to assess the performance of MADRING ahead of its debut and add a decisive race to the championship calendar.