The plan for Madrid’s upcoming Formula 1 Grand Prix centers on the Madrid Exhibition Institute, IFEMA, with portions of the racing circuit threading through the Valdebebas streets to create a semi-urban course. Adjacent to these routes lie idle lands, owned by private entities, public administrations, and a mix of developers, all poised to gain from the new F1 presence in Spain.
The project’s most visible champions are the Community and IFEMA, a semi-public organization jointly controlled by the Madrid City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Montemadrid Foundation. The initiative aims to leverage a vast complex known as the macro palace of congresses, while also examining the surrounding parcels the organization owns for potential expansion. Past interruptions caused by the pandemic have given way to renewed momentum, with Formula 1 activity positioned as a central feature. The site also hosts a well-known music festival footprint, a cultural anchor that reinforces its role as a major event hub.
The only party expected to receive direct financial returns from organizing the Grand Prix is IFEMA itself. Yet, the new route’s northern and eastern segments traverse lands controlled by Real Madrid, Realia, Carlos Slim’s holdings, and a Filipino hotel group among others. While the public’s infographics indicate a high degree of uncertainty, they acknowledge that the circuit is likely to cross through privately held properties, spurring ongoing speculation about land arrangements.
Real Madrid Sports City, privileged views
Eastward lies a single motorway, the M-11, forming the only arterial boundary between Formula 1’s shared route and Real Madrid Sports City. The club has expanded by about 1.2 million square meters, a footprint roughly the size of 300 football fields. In reality, this space has seen a mix of development, including sports facilities, hotels, industrial uses, storage, and parking—each serving a different facet of the club’s activities.
The circuit of the new Spanish F1 GP in Madrid: 5.47 kilometers, four transition zones
Closer to the runway, the land near the track is not layered in vegetation but planned to offer a premium vista of the tarmac. The route includes the most proximate point to the temporary settlement and Real Madrid’s field, with FIA approval for a single tunnel entrance. Whether Real Madrid can profit from the event by mounting fanzones or stands remains an open question.
The northernmost section features a small Real Madrid parcel of 3,036 square meters where the route aligns, its ownership never disclosed publicly, and its inclusion was first noted in local neighborhood maps derived from private sources.
City Council and Carlos Slim
Nearby, a cluster of plots has become the F1’s new neighbor as Madrid prepares for a 2026 debut. More than 17,700 square meters of surface with 50,500 buildable square meters are owned by the Madrid City Council. Reports from the press indicated attempts to divest around a 40 million euro price, though no formal auction occurred as the budget was paused. The political landscape may shift with new majorities and renewed automotive competition.
Adjacent to Realia, the Real Madrid-linked real estate portfolio includes plots such as 189-B and 189-C, valued in the tens of millions in previous years. Their current status remains to be clarified as development plans evolve.
East of Realia sits a Metrovacesa parcel once linked to a supermarket project; ownership is shared among Santander, BBVA, and Slim’s circle. Neighborhood sources note a construction booth once stood to start development, now potentially stalled or replanned in light of the F1 project.
The penultimate landowner around the future Madrid Grand Prix corridor was Metrovacesa, though conditions are intricate. Reports revealed a sale to Fusara by the contractor for a significant sum, while a Catholic church foundation sits under investigation for an alleged asset scheme tied to real estate activities.
F1’s new neighbor is a mysterious Filipino hotel chain
In the final stretch, a prominent Filipino hotel group has emerged as a major neighbor to the Madrid Grand Prix. The planned Hotel 101 could become one of the capital’s largest hotels, with more than 700 rooms, intended for sale to Asian investors seeking residency through Spain’s Golden Visa program.
Behind the development and the hotel chain, a partial link to the Philippine government has been reported. The hotel operator even drafted a route around the hotel on social media, mirroring some infographics circulated by Formula 1. A few meters away, the public may soon glimpse a potentially influential vantage that could reflect in rising property values.
Exclusive views
Beyond the major players, Las Cárcavas residents constitute a second wave of stakeholders affected by the F1 footprint. These communities sit in the circuit’s northwestern corridor, comprising both high-rise towers and compact, villa-style neighborhoods that will feel the impact of the new event.
The Madrid-based Stoneweg fund and Bain Capital, both active players in local development, acquired land from the Madrid City Council for 45 million euros. They are among the groups advancing a project that places a curve of the circuit into a large urban renewal initiative. The development involves hundreds of rental units for short- and medium-term stays, provoking strong local debate about building heights and neighborhood harmony.