"Let the best man win, its the chance of your life
Let the game begin, start rollin' the dice
And let the best man win, it'll give you
Give you all that life can bring
Let's roll and let the best man win"
It is impossible to walk through Madring, flags flying, and not have Louise Hoffsten's nineties theme echoing in your head. It sounds like a paddock, like colorful caps and distant roars of gasoline. From Talladega to the green hell of the Nurburgring, all the interiors of the circuits share an atmosphere. Madring is Ifema's new M-30, and within it a motor city has been built with simulators, racing car exhibitions, mini karting tracks, food trucks and even pit-stop simulations for fans.
The public, the tens of thousands of fans who move like ants this weekend through Valdebebas, are the first inhabitants of a circuit that seeks to consolidate its icons. Montreal has its scratches on the Wall of Champions, Spa has that impossible turn that is Eau Rouge, Monaco has the most luxurious boxes on the planet with its yachts.
In Madring, where everything smells new, the Monumental is the emblem that wants to enter the motorsports hall of fame. On the left bank of this curve that looks like something out of an American superspeedway, a motor and leisure city has risen. A new and temporary district for Madrid on the 'ruins' of the first Mad Cool.
There, the gastronomic offer is said to be the most complete in the Formula 1 World Cup: the foreign public asks for the 'tapaneta' in which they serve typical Madrid pinchos. There are also burgers, pizzas, dogs and even Asian menus. "Is all this a queue?" asks an alonsista after getting off the stands in search of supplies. Indeed, all that was a queue, although it moved quickly. "Where there is the most is in the tortillas," warns a group of friends looking for a place to eat.
The furor over Fernando Alonso, by the way, and as expected, dominates in the merchandising area. He is followed by his compatriot Carlos Sainz, ambassador of the track, and the Ferrari brand, an unparalleled emblem of speed.
In this procession of fans, VIPs, politicians, the baptisms of those who enter the motorsport circus are celebrated: with the premiere of Madring, many fans, especially those from Madrid, know for the first time the experience of going to a circuit and seeing how the thousand horses of a Formula 1 thunder. "I can't even imagine it. F2 has left me deaf!", says a debutant attendee near the Ferris wheel.
A Ferris wheel that, in addition to being a meeting point and a central square, is becoming more relevant as the days go by. More and more fans are looking for a general overview of the circuit from above.
In the middle of the crowd, some influencer or reality contestant can be seen in the crowd. There are many stages and brand stands that hold events throughout the weekend with guest stars from inside and outside the Formula 1 universe. "Look at De la Rosa!", a young man dressed from top to bottom in team clothing points out to his colleagues.
Not far from here, at the Ifema fair complex, dozens of personalities from the world of sports, culture or politics are expected to attend this Sunday. The paddock already left recognizable faces on Saturday: former footballer Roberto Carlos enjoyed free practice, as did Eder Militao, a Real Madrid player, who took a photo with Fernando Alonso before getting into the car. Cholo Simeone, coach of Atlético de Madrid, also did not miss the event.
