Madring Track Design Avoids Civil War Bunkers
The new Madring circuit for the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix routes around preserved Spanish Civil War bunkers at the IFEMA site. Turn 8, named El Bunker, sits adjacent to the La Mata Espesa fortifications built in 1936. Organizers preserved the structures as a condition of construction, with the layout designed to avoid disturbance.
Layout Routes Past Historic Fortifications
The Madring circuit layout places Turn 8, called El Bunker, directly beside two concrete pillboxes known as La Mata Espesa. These fortifications date to 1936 and served as Republican defenses during the Spanish Civil War. The structures sit within the IFEMA exhibition grounds in Madrid and remain preserved behind barriers.[1]
Organizers incorporated the bunkers into the site plan without relocation for the F1 project. Earlier moves of about 200 meters occurred years before circuit proposals. Plaques now mark their history on the government-owned land.[4]
Corner Naming Reflects Proximity
The official circuit map names the 72.79-meter right-hander El Bunker because it borders the forts. The corner follows an 8 percent uphill section and precedes a 5 percent descent into the Valdebebas area. Track width measures 12 meters with 5 percent banking at that point.[5]
Preservation of the bunkers formed a condition for building the hybrid street circuit.[3]
Related reading
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7386895/2026/06/24/spanish-grand-prix-madrid-track-f1/ https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/11/madring-f1-spanish-grand-prix-hybrid-street-circuit https://www.madring.com/en/circuit-old https://www.larazon.es/deportes/formula-1/que-bunker-madring_202609096aa1183f2d7d302217841f03.html
- [1]The Spanish Civil War bunkers F1's newest track was forced to avoid (the-athletic). Accessed 2026-09-11.
- [2]F1: The Spanish Grand Prix Gets Another Home Near Madrid (nytimes). Accessed 2026-09-11.
- [3]Welcome to the Madring, a new, brutal and unforgiving F1 challenge for Spanish Grand Prix (the-guardian). Accessed 2026-09-11.
- [4]F1 Grand Prix of Spain layout | MADRING (madring-official). Accessed 2026-09-11.
- [5]Que bunker madring (la-razon). Accessed 2026-09-11.