Leclerc gives Ferrari first F1 laps at Madrid’s new Madring circuit

Ferrari opens the Madring with first F1 running

Charles Leclerc and Ferrari gave the new Madring circuit its first laps with a Formula 1 car on Thursday, as the team completed a filming session at the venue that will join the calendar in 2026.

Ferrari used its SF-26 for the session, sharing photographs and video clips on social media from Thursday morning. Leclerc was the first driver to take to the circuit, while team mate Lewis Hamilton was also scheduled to complete laps during the day.

A controlled but valuable first look

That matters because new venues demand rapid learning. Sight lines, braking references, surface changes and the rhythm between permanent and public-road sections are all elements drivers and engineers can begin to assess, even under filming-day constraints. Ferrari will not have left Madrid with a complete competitive picture, but it will have gathered the kind of early reference points that matter when a new Grand Prix approaches.

The run followed Carlos Sainz’s special media tour in May, when the Williams driver took F1.com’s Lawrence Barretto for high-speed laps in a Ford Mustang. Thursday, however, was the first time the Madring had been sampled by an actual Formula 1 car. For more background on Ferrari’s planned appearance at the venue, see our earlier report on the SF-26 filming day at Madrid’s new Madring circuit.

Ferrari arrives with momentum

Ferrari came into the Madring outing fresh from a strong British Grand Prix weekend. Leclerc won the race, with Hamilton finishing third, a result that strengthened the team’s push toward a 2026 title challenge.

Against that backdrop, the Madrid laps carried more than promotional value. They placed Ferrari at the centre of a symbolic first for Formula 1’s newest Spanish venue, while giving its drivers an early feel for a circuit that could soon carry genuine championship weight.