F1 Fans Slam Madrid GP as Disabled Areas Appear Set on Rocky Ground
· Yahoo Sports
The first Madrid Formula 1 race is already drawing complaints after just a single day of the cars taking over the Madring. Photos circulating from the circuit appear to show general-admission spectators sitting on a rough dirt slope, including an image of an empty wheelchair beside temporary boards near the track fence surrounded by uneven and rocky ground.
Marnie, posting as @notathome1900 on X, addressed Madring organizers, Carlos Sainz, and Formula 1 directly:
Visit mchezo.co.za for more information.
“General admissions areas, including disabled access areas, made with dirt and scaffold boards. How is this considered safe, and how can you charge people for this?!”
The post also asks, “What is going on here?”
What is going on here? @madring_oficial@Carlossainz55
— Marnie (@notathome1900) September 11, 2026
General admissions areas, including disabled access areas, made with dirt and scaffold boards. How is this considered safe, and how can you charge people for this?! #MadridGP#Madring@F1pic.twitter.com/d4anK5cAG2
What The Photos Appear To Show
Photographs reveal a sloping area leading to the safety barriers of the circuit without any fixed seating options. Approximately 30 to 40 individuals are seen scattered on the incline, with some seated on towels, blankets, or mats, while others are positioned on the slope.
The ground appears dry after the European heat wave and incomplete, featuring loose stones, dusty soil, uneven ruts, marks from machinery, and varying elevations. A significant portion of this area lacks a defined paved path. One photograph captures an unoccupied wheelchair positioned near the fence, surrounded by the same uneven terrain. A slim strip of board or matting runs nearby, while another photograph shows temporary fencing, rocks, dirt, and what appears to be a narrow crossing.
This presents an unattractive scene, especially when contrasted with the large temporary grandstands across the circuit. Under the bright, largely cloudless sky, the general-admission bank also appears to offer little shade.
The images don’t clarify whether where the wheelchair sits is an official viewing area for those with disabilities. They also cannot show whether another accessible route or platform exists elsewhere. They do, however, raise sincere concerns regardless.
Let me also premise this: in the general walking areas the ground is covered in astro turf, there’s no reason they couldn’t have at least put that down in the GA areas. They’re lucky rain wasn’t on the forecast! GA tickets started at €200 and went as high as just over €300 as… https://t.co/U5wIpvCXuE
— Stefan⁴⁴ | ステファン (@fortifoursi) September 11, 2026
Madring Says Accessible Options Exist
Madring’s ticketing page calls general admission “Pelouse.” That ticket provides access to open viewing areas without assigned seats, meaning buyers select their own position. The organizer says those areas are green and open and lists toilets and large screens, but does not describe a permanent seat, paved viewing surface, or covered location as part of the product.
Wheelchair spots at MADRING… Woah pic.twitter.com/Vd0ueW5Gpd
— Cytrus (@cytrusf1) September 11, 2026
According to information provided by the circuit, there are specific grandstand sections allocated for attendees with mobility impairments, in addition to fan zones that are accessible. The North fan zones at the circuit utilize naturally stabilized ground with cement, which the organizers admit may have slight unevenness in some areas. It also says artificial-turf paths help direct visitors toward grandstands and event facilities. South fan zones, by contrast, are described as having continuous asphalt supplemented by artificial-grass paths.
A September 3 mobility plan adds that the venue includes designated PRM entrances, internal circulation routes, pedestrian infrastructure, and routes to grandstands.
Me chamou a atenção como o público que comprou o ingresso mais barato (general admission) estava tendo que ficar em pé e em outras áreas pra conseguir ver a pista. Simplesmente porque os assentos são tão baixos que vc só vê a mureta. pic.twitter.com/MqbENbpU9X
— Julianne Cerasoli (@jucerasoli) September 11, 2026
General admission tickets sold out quickly. But a sold-out event makes the standard of those open areas more important, not less. Fans paying for a place to watch Formula 1 should not have to decode whether a rough track through loose dirt is an intentional accessibility feature or simply what remained after construction. The grandstands can look finished while the ground beneath the cheapest ticket still tells a different story.