Formula E returns to Spain as CUPRA Madrid E-Prix debuts at Jarama

Formula E returns to Spain for the first time in five years as the 2026 CUPRA Raval Madrid E‑Prix (Round 6 of Season 12) makes its debut at the historic Circuito del Jarama. The race weekend is scheduled for March 20–21, with the main Race set for Saturday, March 21 at 15:05 local time (14:05 UTC / 3:05 p.m. CET). Organizers said ticket demand had been intense — Formula E co-founder Alberto Longo said, “We are basically sold out,” with 98% of the circuit’s 24,000–25,000 capacity taken; Longo credited strong local institutional backing, a high-profile promotion at La Puerta del Sol and title partner Citroën/Cupra’s involvement for the interest (Citroën/Cupra received a 10% ticket allocation, with the remainder on general sale).

Jarama’s 3.9 km layout, featuring 14 turns and notable elevation changes, was sampled during pre-season testing and earned positive feedback from teams; pre-season tests had been moved from Valencia to Madrid in November 2024 after floods in Valencia. Organizers have prepared the venue for its competitive debut and will run the championship’s Pit Boost mechanic at Jarama — the first appearance of Pit Boost at a single-header event and the first time outside a double-header weekend. Under the Pit Boost rules drivers must take a mandatory 30-second stop to receive a 10% energy increase, and officials said combining mandatory Pit Boost stops with existing Attack Mode activations and Jarama’s technical layout should widen tactical options and produce more unpredictable racing.

Local interest is high around Spanish driver Pepe Martí (Cupra Kiro, car No. 3), who is expected to compete in front of a home crowd; Martí has 17 points and sits 11th after five races. The championship will also conduct its first rookie test of Season 12 at Circuito del Jarama on Sunday. Fans can watch every session live via Formula E’s official website, app and Race Centre (which offers Live Timing and real-time track maps); Free Practice sessions will stream on Formula E’s YouTube channel. Broadcast rights vary by territory: the UK and Ireland will have free-to-air coverage on ITVX (with FP1 on TNT Sports 8 and FP2 and qualifying on TNT Sports 9), the United States will stream sessions on the Roku Sports Channel with delayed highlights on CBS, and Spain will carry qualifying and the Race live on RTVE Play, with many other markets served by regional partners and streaming services.