The first Formula 1 race on Madrid’s new Madring street circuit belongs to Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver claimed his eighth win of the 2026 season on 13 September, extending his championship lead to 81 points over team-mate George Russell.
An inaugural street fight decided on Lap 48
Pole-sitter Lando Norris controlled the early running on the 5.414 km layout. His race unravelled around a Virtual Safety Car triggered by Lance Stroll’s retirement on Lap 15. McLaren kept the reigning champion out, pitted him a lap later under green-flag conditions, and a slow stop compounded the setback.
Antonelli, who had qualified second just 0.011 seconds behind Norris, bided his time among the leaders. He seized the lead on Lap 48 of 57 and held it to the flag. Max Verstappen followed him home in second, with Norris recovering to third.
Eight wins and a lead that is widening
The official margin at the line stood at 4.351 seconds over Verstappen. George Russell took fastest lap on Lap 49, a 1:35.587. Lewis Hamilton lasted only six laps before a brake failure ended his afternoon.
Antonelli left Madrid with 292 points. Russell remained his nearest challenger on 211, Hamilton sat third with 191, and Norris fourth with 186. In the constructors’ fight, Mercedes stretched their advantage to 503 points, well clear of Ferrari on 358.
A season building an unmistakable case
The Madring victory followed his worst-to-first drive at Monza a week earlier, where he became the first Italian to win a home Grand Prix in 60 years. The back-to-back results turned a strong season into a commanding one.
No circuit has hosted the Spanish Grand Prix here before. The name in the history books beside the first winner is Antonelli.
