Campos Racing faces the imposing challenge of Madring
Campos Racing faces one of the most special events of the season in the FIA Formula 2 calendar. In just a few hours, engines will roar into life for the first time at Madring, the new circuit located in Madrid which becomes the venue for the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix. In addition to the novelty represented by the circuit itself, which officially makes its debut this weekend, the timing of the event is also different from the traditional position of the Spanish Grand Prix on the calendar, which has usually taken place between April and June.
Whatever the case, the Alzira-based outfit will aim to fly the flag as high as possible with Nikola Tsolov and Noel León, one of the strongest pairings on the grid as reflected by the classifications and results from the first ten rounds of the 2026 season. Campos Racing leads the Teams’ Championship with 291 points, largely thanks to the outstanding consistency of its two drivers. One statistic is particularly significant: at every single circuit visited so far, at least one of the team’s drivers has stood on the podium at some point during the weekend. Can that run continue at home, in front of the Spanish fans?
Tsolov is also the leader of the Drivers’ Championship, having amassed 177 points as the series heads towards the Spanish capital. The Red Bull Junior Team member has no fewer than six wins in the category so far. He triumphed in the Sunday races in Melbourne, Monaco and at the Red Bull Ring, in addition to winning both races contested at Silverstone. The “Bulgarian Lion” also won the Saturday race in Miami, proving to be one of the most effective drivers at circuits that are completely new to the entire field. These results are complemented by two third-place finishes in Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps, giving him an eleven-point advantage over his closest rival.
León has also established himself on merit as one of the leading protagonists in the FIA’s premier single-seater category. The Mexican enjoyed a sweet debut in Australia, securing a sensational second place in his first FIA Formula 2 appearance. Victories in the Sprint Races in Montreal and Monaco paved the way for his first Feature Race win, achieved at the Hungaroring at the end of July. During the most recent round at Monza, León finished third in Sunday’s Feature Race. The Campos Racing driver has also demonstrated his ability and courage on street and semi-permanent circuits, making Madring potentially another favourable venue for him. He currently has 114 points and lies fifth in the standings, having considerably reduced the gap to the drivers in third and fourth positions.
Madring remains an unknown quantity, despite the tests and preparations that drivers and engineers have carried out on the simulator over recent weeks. Designed by Jarno Zaffelli, the circuit runs around the IFEMA exhibition centre in the Valdebebas area. It is 5.419 kilometres long and features no fewer than 22 corners, with “La Monumental” standing out as the defining feature of the Madrid circuit. This is a banked corner with a 24-degree inclination that will subject drivers, cars and tyres to significant compression loads, similar to those experienced at Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone. Although Zandvoort also features two banked corners, the one at Madring is longer and has a greater inclination than those at the Dutch circuit.
According to the initial analysis, the end of the main straight is expected to be one of the main overtaking opportunities, while the layout combines fast sections such as the “Las Enlazadas de Valdebebas” sector with slower and more technical areas such as “El Búnker”. This variety of characteristics, combined with the general lack of knowledge of the circuit, will force drivers and engineers to work against the clock from the very first session.
Free Practice will get underway on Friday at 11:05, with qualifying scheduled for the same afternoon at 15:00. The Sprint Race will take place on Saturday at 14:15, while the Feature Race is scheduled for Sunday at 11:25. All times are local to mainland Spain.
Adrián Campos (Team Principal of Campos Racing): “We are heading to Madrid for one of the most special challenges of the entire season. Madring is completely new to everyone and, although we have been able to work extensively in the simulator over recent weeks, it will only be once we get out on track that we will really discover what this circuit is like and how the cars behave here. From what we have been able to analyse, it is a track that combines very different characteristics and will demand a great deal from both the drivers and the engineers. We are at a very important point in the championship. Nikola arrives as the championship leader and Noel is also in a very strong position, while Campos Racing tops the Teams’ Championship. We have managed to reach the podium at every circuit we have visited so far and we want to maintain that consistency in Madrid, although we know it will not be easy. On a new circuit, and particularly on a street track such as this one, it is essential to adapt quickly and avoid mistakes. Competing at home, in front of our fans and as part of the first Spanish Grand Prix to be held at Madring, provides additional motivation for the entire team. We are really looking forward to experiencing this moment and, above all, making the most of every session to continue scoring important points as we head into the final part of the championship.”
