It was a moment a decade in the making, ever since talks first started around the ambitious plans to build a Formula 1 street circuit in one of Europe’s busiest cities. For all the practice sessions in the lead-up and a captivating hour of qualifying on Saturday, Sunday afternoon always brings the excitement of the main event.
And in Madrid, the anticipation was vividly palpable.
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It’s always a unique experience attending a grand prix as a fan but a new event – the first one since Las Vegas in 2023 – provided an extra level of intrigue, as I discovered in this sun-soaked north-east pocket of the Spanish capital. Before lights out at 3pm local time, you have a series of support races in the morning where the Formula 3 winner, American 19-year-old Ugo Ugochukwu, was confirmed. Then, you have the drivers’ parade at midday, as fans get a first glimpse of the 22 on the grid around the 5.416-km circuit, before the action-packed pandemonium of the pre-race grid.
And even before the grand prix begins, there is a hard-and-fast routine to proceedings before racing properly gets going. Allwyn, the multi-national lottery and gaming company and a key partner of Formula 1 since 2025, is the lead partner of the formation lap, in which pole-sitter Lando Norris led the pack around for one lap of the 22-turn track to warm up tyres and focus minds. And for fans watching on, whether it be in general admission or the glitzy hospitality viewing spots on the main straight, all eyes are geared towards the five lights on the grid as the cars make their way to their starting spots once more.
In this instance, reigning world champion Norris got off to a flyer, holding the lead as Kimi Antonelli, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton jostled for position just behind him. Norris has just signed a new contract extension with McLaren, with whom Allwyn are partners and are putting on an unprecedented live joint-showrun fan event in Athens next month.
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Sometimes, however, the haphazardness of Formula 1 races can come back to bite you. In Madrid, Norris was the recipient of a badly timed virtual safety car (VSC) period; while his front-running rivals pitted under yellow flag conditions, the Briton dived into the pit-lane just as normal racing resumed. He came out down in fourth and did well to finish third, as Antonelli emerged victorious and extended his impressive world championship lead to 81 points.
Beyond the weekend venue, though, whether it be on-site or at home, Allwyn also offers a lottery-inspired competition for fans throughout the 2026 season. The Allwyn League allows supporters to predict key outcomes ahead of qualifying: 10 questions, all multiple choice, with the results entered into a worldwide table. Players have the opportunity to win high-flying prizes, including the much sought-after Paddock Club access, grandstand tickets and special F1 memorabilia.
It works, too, given the connection between Formula 1 as a sport of unpredictability and Allwyn’s role running lotteries across Europe and North America, with its subsidiary Allwyn UK the official operator of the National Lottery in the UK – which works with Team GB sports stars as a key financial backer for athletes targeting success at the Olympics. In many ways, there is an intrinsic link here: F1 can often be a lottery of sorts, as Norris discovered to his unfortunate detriment on Sunday.
Peeking behind the curtain, fans in the Paddock Club are treated to a top-tier hospitality experience via Allwyn, with views of the pit-lane, starting grid and interactive experiences across the weekend, including simulators and engineering briefings. I saw fans in the grandstand, too, basking in the exhilarating sensation of cars going around the track at speeds upwards of 200mph. The iconic turn 12 ‘La Monumental’, for instance, provided a stunning setting for cars and played host to the overtake of the weekend: F2 driver Mari Boya’s brilliant pass around the outside on Rafael Camara.
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The actual racing itself? There is definitely room for improvement, given the tight walls and narrow sections of track. Refreshingly, there is a desire from event organisers to learn and adapt for future editions, which is encouraging. Still, qualifying sessions were enthralling given the ‘risk vs reward’ nature of the circuit.
Madrid, joining the likes of Miami, Singapore and Las Vegas amongst others as “destination cities” on the F1 calendar, impressed on the logistical side of things, with the biggest paddock of the season and comfortable transport for fans in and out of the venue, something which is not always a given.
For a sport constantly evolving, with a diverse global audience most recently estimated at 827 million fans, Formula 1 is continuing to make the fan experience as vibrant and raw as possible. In Madrid, a three-day total of 353,000 fans speaks to that; an incredible number for an inaugural event. For the Spanish capital and motorsport’s premier single-seater series, it’s onwards and upwards.
