Barcelona GP or Madrid GP: Which 2026 Spanish GP is worth your money?
For 2026, Spain will host two Formula 1 races, marking the first time since 1981 that F1 returns to Madrid. The new hybrid street circuit, called the Madring, is set up around the IFEMA exhibition centre and will be known as the Spanish Grand Prix.
This new race also throws up a confusing change for the calendar. See, while the Spanish Grand Prix has been held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since 1991, the Catalan circuit is still hosting a race, but it’s going to be known as the Barcelona-Catalunya GP.
This is good news for European fans as it offers two chances to see F1 cars in Spain. But it does make you wonder - if you could only see one, which Spanish race should you travel for? There are a few different factors to look at, including things like the racing, the atmosphere, the cost, and how likely they are to run smoothly.
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This dual Spanish race presents you a choice - do you go for the old traditional race, or do you go for the new, untested experience?
Should I go to the Barcelona Grand Prix?
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has held the Spanish Grand Prix every year since it opened. It also held a great many pre-season tests in its time, before they moved somewhat recently to the Middle East. With a history like that, you know it must be good from just about every aspect - location, travel, operations, logistics. It’s very much a known quantity at this point and while the racing has sometimes been a bit… processional, this year’s regulations seem to be throwing up some surprising changes.
Add to that that it’s easy to get to from the UK (flights from the UK take about two hours), it’s one of the more affordable events for a General Admission ticket. That GA access is surprisingly fair, and so is a very tempting fly-away race for F1 fans who want a safe bet.
Should I go to the Madrid Grand Prix?
The new Spanish GP takes place in mid-September, so you’re looking at temperatures in the mid-20s during the day.
As exciting as a new track is, you never really know how well a circuit (especially a street circuit) is going to fare. Take the 2023 Las Vegas GP, for example. A loose manhole cover severely damaged Carlos Sainz’s car during the first practice session, causing delays to the on-track action.
The race itself was a success, but the event was plagued by problems. And that was in Las Vegas - a city made to handle hundreds of thousands of people.
Though the Madring looks interesting, it’s definitely the riskier race of the two to visit. It’s also going to be more difficult to see any of the action, being that it’s a street circuit. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is a permanent venue meaning that there’s plenty of room to move around during the day and, from the General Admission areas, you can see at least six corners and some straights. The Madring has one small General Admission area which will fill up quickly and appears to show only a very small glimpse of the track.
For first-timers, or anyone who wants a guaranteed experience, Barcelona-Catalunya is the safer bet. Madrid is the wildcard, higher risk, potentially higher reward.
Every Way To Watch Barcelona Formula 1 Grand Prix: Tickets & Hospitality
There are plenty of ways to watch the Barcelona-Catalunya GP, with prices for tickets ranging from affordable to much more expensive.
General Admission - £198
General Admission is your cheapest way into the event, and it’s surprisingly good at the circuit. A GA ticket gives you access to the most exciting parts of the track, with views of Turn 1 all the way to Turn 9 and some of the back straight, depending on where you sit. The areas around those corners are banked, too, so your view is less likely to be impacted by a tall person in front than at other circuits.
That said, it does get busy. Being that it’s a good GA track and the second of the Monaco-Spain double-header, some people dovetail the two and turn it into a holiday. It’s also helped by the fact that it’s one of the cheaper General Admission tickets on the calendar, priced at £200 for a three-day ticket via the Barcelona F1 ticket site. Children’s tickets (for those aged 6 - 15) and Senior tickets (for those aged 65+) are even cheaper at only £112 for the three days. Compare this to over £400 for the British Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix, and you’ve got a bargain.
Grandstand - Turn 1, A, E, F - £328+
The start/finish straight at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is just over a kilometer long, and sees drivers brake from over 300 km/h to around 150 km/h before throwing it into the chicane first corner. This gives fans in the grandstands around Turn 1 a fantastic opportunity to see overtaking, hard-braking, and potential incidents.
The E and F grandstands are on the outside of the track, giving a view of the braking zone and up towards Turn 3, while the A grandstand is further round and gives fans a glimpse of the straight as well as the run up towards Turn 3. The T1 stand is arguably the best of the bunch, as it gives the best view of the entire straight, the first two corners, and some run to Turn 3. This is where a lot of the action has happened through the years, and where George Russell collided with Max Verstappen in 2025 to set up the Turn 5 contact.
Main Grandstand - £544+
The main grandstand is arguably the most famous one, sitting opposite the pit lane and looking down on the track. It’s in the middle of the straight, so you won’t see much in the way of cornering or braking, but what you do get is a brilliant view of the grid before the race. This is something you won’t see as much of on TV, and it gives you a real insight into what the teams and drivers do to prepare for the race start. You can also see directly into the pit lane, so you can watch the teams service the cars, and catch the podium celebrations, too.
As it’s such a great spot to watch from, tickets sell fast. Tickets in the left half of the stand are currently available through the official reseller site from £XXX.
Grandstand M - £550+
Grandstand M is on the outside of Turn 5 and offers an interesting proposition - not only do you get to watch drivers exit Turn 4 and run down towards (and through) the notoriously tricky Turn 5 corner (the site of that controversial Verstappen/Russell clash in 2025) but, depending on where you are in the stand, you can also spot cars going through the first corner.
You don’t need to rely solely on the parts of the track that you can see though, as there’s a big screen on the other side of the track on the inside of the corner.
Now, being that the grandstand is on the inside of the circuit, it is going to be a longer walk from the car park to the stand. It’s also higher than the start/finish grandstand, meaning that if you find walking long distances difficult, it might not be the best option. It is covered though, so if the weather takes a turn (it famously snowed there during 2018 pre-season testing) you should remain safe and dry.
Garden Club - £2,000+
Located on the outside of the final corner, the Garden Club is a relaxed take on hospitality. It’s an open-air area with relaxed seating and views of the final two corners, as well as down the start/finish straight. Being that it’s a hospitality option, you get dedicated hosts, priority access, and tableside service, as well as an open bar and catering.
If the weather is good (which, being that it’s June, it should be) then it could be a great option for a relaxed atmosphere and views of the final two corners. Those corners aren’t exactly prime overtaking spots (most drivers will wait for that kilometer-long straight rather than launch a dive on the final corner), but you do get close to the track.
Panorama Village - £1,190 - £3,148
Panorama Village is on the inside of the circuit, on the outside of Turn 7. This gives it, as the name would suggest, a panoramic view - allowing patrons to see drivers on the start/finish straight, as well as the run from Turn 5 through to Turn 8. It’s marketed as VIP and at over £3,000 for a ticket it includes premium food and drink for your viewing pleasure. Definitely one for people who want to feel like a VIP and enjoy the finest the event has to offer, as well as the best views of all the hospitality options available.
The three-day ticket is currently on sale, reduced from £5,130 to £3,148, which is cheaper than just the Sunday ticket, at £4,024.
Pitlane Lounge - £3,160
The Pitlane Lounge is just next to the Panorama Village, on top of the main building, which has similar views. At a slightly lower price ticket, you still get full catering, but it's a buffet rather than “fine gastronomy”, an open bar serves beers, wines, cava and soft drinks rather than the same menu plus cocktails and spirits, and access to the lounge. The Panorama Village with the current discount (at the time of writing) is a much better option.
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Rooftop Lounge - £4,085 - £5,109
If you’ve watched any racing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before, you’ve seen the Rooftop Lounge. It’s the big red building/bridge that runs over the top of the back straight. Not only does this mean you get a view of the cars literally driving underneath you, but, thanks to the track’s topography and the lounge’s elevation, you can see pretty much the entire final sector, as well as some parts of sector two.
If being able to watch most of the race isn’t enough of a reason to visit, you may find yourself making use of the open bar and Michelin-Starred gastronomic service more often. There’s also access to multiple grandstands, driving simulators, and expert analysis to keep you entertained.
The city break angle - Barcelona beyond the circuit
While F1 would be the main purpose of your visit, a trip to Barcelona itself could add some culture and make a proper city break for anyone you’re travelling with. Luckily the track is only a 30-minute train ride from central Barcelona, and the mid-June timing means you’ve got the perfect weather to really experience it - you’re looking around mid-20 degrees during the day and around 20 degrees at night. That means the beaches and sea are an option, as is exploring places like Park Guell and the very recently-completed Sagrada Familia.
If it’s only the F1 you’re interested in and not the support series, Friday offers a chance to spend the morning taking in culture before Free Practice 1 starts at 1:30pm local time. The second free practice session finishes at 6pm local, so you could make a trip to Barceloneta beach before a busier Saturday. If you’re interested in all the racing then you’ll want to be at the track by 10.05am to catch the Formula 3 sprint race, with the third F1 free practice session starting at 12:30pm. Then you’ve got the Formula 2 sprint race before qualifying at 4pm. With that finishing at around 5pm, that gives you the evening to check out El Born (a historic, trendy part of the city) or the Gothic Quarter (another historic area, known for its medieval streets and restaurants).
Sunday is obviously race day and, with the race starting at 3pm, it should be done by around 5pm. How much you want to enjoy the post-race activities is up to you, but there are plenty of restaurants in Barcelona itself to celebrate the race weekend.
This mini-trip plan means you have two options - either stay close to the circuit and travel into Barcelona and back, or stay in Barcelona itself and travel to the circuit in the mornings. Staying in Barcelona obviously gives you more freedom to pick from hotels, and to find an area you’d like to see more of in the evenings.
Practical logistics of attending Barcelona Grand Prix
Barcelona is already a very popular tourist destination from the UK, so there are plenty of flight options to get there. EasyJet runs flights to Barcelona from multiple UK airports, from London up to Leeds Bradford and Edinburgh, so could be a good option for easy travel.
When you’re in Barcelona it’s a simple 35-minute train journey from Barcelona Sants to Montmelo train station, which is then a seven-minute taxi to the circuit. If you’re driving then some tickets do come with parking (the more expensive of the hospitality passes), otherwise parking is pre-booked only.
If you’re looking for places to stay, you have a few options. There’s central Barcelona, which is perfect if you’re looking for plenty to do and a bustling nightlife. Sitges is further south and around an hour away from the track, but is going to be quieter.
It’s summer so pack your essentials like suncream. It’s a very open track with not much in the way of shade if you’re not in the grandstands, so a hat will also be useful. As public transport is a popular way of getting to the track, you should also consider bringing a portable charger so you’re not getting nervous as your battery depletes.
How to book Barcelona Grand Prix and what it really costs
So how much does it really cost if you want to go to the Barcelona-Catalunya GP? Well, that’s entirely up to you.
Budget Run - under £600
A return flight, flying out the day before and coming back the day after, costs around £200. The General Admission tickets are already very reasonably-priced, coming in at just less than £200 for three days. Hotels are a bit more expensive, but you don’t need to break the bank - there are plenty of hostels if you’re committed to a cheap break.
Mid-Range - around £1,000
If you’ve got extra budget to play with, a seat in grandstand M for £550 is a great option as you get to see an interesting part of the track as well as a big screen. Staying in a reasonable hotel in central Barcelona will set you back around £300 and, assuming you take the same flights, it’s just over £1,000 before you factor in food and merch.
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Full send - over £5,000
Of course you could indulge, and F1 is only too happy to oblige if you choose to. The Rooftop Lounge is surely the best one to go for here, as you get a fantastic view of the track as well as cars going underneath you. At over £5,000 you undoubtedly get the best view (and experience) of all the tickets. While we’re blowing the budget, you may as well combine it with a trip to the Monaco Grand Prix the week before. It’s only a short flight from Nice to Barcelona (less than 1hr30) and it gives you more time to explore both Monaco and Barcelona.
Tickets typically go on sale 9 - 12 months before the race, though some are still available for this year’s race. However you decide to do it, though, it’s a great way to see F1 outside of the UK.
Topics: Formula 1
Natalie Corner