The FIA F3 Championship will hold a two-day official in-season test at MADRING on 24 and 25 August before returning to the new circuit for an expanded conclusion to its 2026 campaign.
The championship will use the test to help teams and drivers prepare for the unfamiliar venue. Meanwhile, the circuit’s organisers will assess MADRING’s safety systems, operational processes and sporting procedures under real track conditions.
F3 will then conclude its season in Madrid with an additional Qualifying session and a second Feature Race. The expanded format will restore the number of events that organisers originally planned for the 2026 championship following the loss of the Bahrain race weekend.
MADRING F3 test will support Grand Prix preparations
The F3 test will take place two weeks before the inaugural FORMULA 1 TAG HEUER GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2026, which will run from 11 to 13 September.
Consequently, the two-day programme will serve a purpose beyond conventional mid-season testing. Formula 3 teams will gather valuable information about MADRING, while the circuit’s organisers will test their procedures before Formula 1 arrives in Madrid.
Bruno Michel, FIA Formula 3 CEO, welcomed the opportunity to introduce the championship’s teams and drivers to the new venue before the decisive final round.
“I’m very pleased to announce this F3 test session at the MADRING. It will be two very valuable days of testing for our teams and drivers to appraise this new challenge before the crucial final round of the 2026 season, which will be held at this new venue.
“This season will have a pretty unique conclusion with an enhanced finale, which will provide the teams and the drivers with an additional opportunity to score points, following the loss of the race weekend at Bahrain earlier this year.”
F3 creates an expanded Madrid finale in 2026
Alongside the test announcement, F3 confirmed a revised format for the final round of the 2026 season.
The Madrid weekend will feature one Free Practice session, two Qualifying sessions, one Sprint Race and two Feature Races. Therefore, teams and drivers will face a busier schedule and more opportunities to score points during the championship’s final three races.
The additional Feature Race will also increase the influence that MADRING could have on the Drivers’ and Teams’ Championship battles. Drivers must adapt quickly to the new circuit, deliver across two separate Qualifying sessions and maintain their performance throughout the weekend.
Revised schedule adds a second Qualifying session
F3 will open the weekend with a 45-minute Free Practice session on Friday morning. Teams will use that session to learn the circuit, assess tyre behaviour and refine their car setups before the competitive sessions begin.
On Friday afternoon, drivers will contest two consecutive 20-minute Qualifying sessions. The first session will shape both Saturday races, while the second session will determine the grid for Sunday’s season-ending Feature Race.
The revised schedule will run as follows:
- Friday morning: One 45-minute Free Practice session.
- Friday afternoon: Two consecutive 20-minute Qualifying sessions.
- Saturday morning: Sprint Race. Officials will use the first Qualifying results to establish the reverse-grid order.
- Saturday afternoon: First Feature Race. The first Qualifying session will determine the starting grid.
- Sunday morning: Second and final Feature Race. The second Qualifying session will determine the starting grid.
As a result, Friday’s sessions will carry particular importance. Drivers must produce two strong Qualifying performances within a short period, while teams must manage tyres, traffic and changing track conditions carefully.
Extra points could transform the championship battle
Each Qualifying session will offer two points for pole position. Furthermore, both Feature Races will use the standard points allocation outlined in the FIA Formula 3 Sporting Regulations.
The expanded weekend will create an additional opportunity for leading contenders to strengthen their championship positions. However, it will also give their rivals another chance to close the gap.
Reliability, consistency and adaptability will therefore play major roles. A driver could gain significant ground through two successful Feature Races, while a poor result could carry greater consequences during such a compressed finale.
The format will also test each team’s ability to respond quickly. With two Qualifying sessions on Friday and two races on Saturday, engineers and mechanics will have limited time to analyse data or make major changes.
Organisers aim to validate MADRING under racing conditions
The August test will allow MADRING’s organisers to examine the circuit during a full F3 operation. They can evaluate communication systems, marshal procedures, medical arrangements, race control activities and other essential elements before the Formula 1 weekend begins.
Luis García Abad, Director of the FORMULA 1 TAG HEUER GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2026, explained why organisers considered the test an essential part of the circuit’s preparations.
“From the very beginning, we were clear that we wanted to arrive at the Grand Prix with a fully validated and tested circuit. In a completely new project such as MADRING, it was essential to check, under real competition conditions, that all elements related to safety, operations and the sporting delivery of the event would work exactly as we had planned.”
García Abad also praised Formula 3’s role in organising the test and highlighted the sporting value of the expanded finale.
“From our very first conversations with Bruno Michel, we found Formula 3 to be completely willing to make these test days possible. Their collaboration has been outstanding and allows us to fulfil a dual objective: to carry out all the necessary checks before the Grand Prix makes its debut and, at the same time, to add major sporting appeal by incorporating an additional championship race whose outcome will be decided in Madrid.”
Madrid takes centre stage in the 2026 F3 season
The two-day test and expanded finale will give MADRING a prominent role during its first year on the international motorsport calendar.
First, Formula 3 will help the venue test its systems in August. Then, the championship will return for a demanding three-race weekend that could decide both titles.
The unusual format will add another strategic challenge for teams and drivers. More importantly, it will give the 2026 Formula 3 season a distinctive conclusion as the championship crowns its winners at Madrid’s new circuit.
