The Superior Court of Justice of Madrid (TSJM) has taken a significant step by accepting the legal challenge presented by Más Madrid against the special plan approved by the Madrid City Council. This plan aims to facilitate the expansion of Ifema and, with it, the construction of a new circuit designed to host Formula 1 races between 2026 and 2035. Furthermore, a separate proceeding has been initiated to address the request for a precautionary suspension put forth by the political party.

The left-wing faction has thus formed a formidable judicial front against a project also opposed by the Madrileña Ecologist Platform, whose similar legal challenge was accepted last week. The battle is far from over, as Más Madrid is gearing up for another legal confrontation against the municipal license approved by the City Council, which permits the hosting of the grand prix. This proposal has the full backing of Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida and regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso, both from the People's Party (PP).

Rita Maestre, the municipal leader of Más Madrid, firmly argues the illegality of the urban development plan. She contends that the plan lacks proper environmental impact assessments and considerations for public health, despite the inevitable noise and pollution affecting nearby areas, with the circuit passing less than 40 meters from homes and resulting in the removal of over 700 trees. Maestre emphasizes the failure to notify local residents about the public information period required by law, which would have allowed them to raise objections. "These are sufficient grounds for judicial intervention. We will not stand idly by as this blatant exploitation unfolds," she declares.

The opposition party leading the charge against the PP in Madrid has divided its judicial strategy into two complementary actions. The first targets the special plan approved by the City Council, which increases the buildable area of the current Fairgrounds by 4%, adding 13,600 square meters to the existing 340,000 maximum. This expansion enables the enlargement of pavilions 1 and 2, designated to house F1 team garages, technical offices, and the VIP area of the Paddock Club. The second challenge focuses on the municipal license, which facilitates the actual construction of the circuit, approved in April. This legal action is still being finalized, according to the party.

A neighborhood association survey conducted in February, with 1,714 responses from various locations, revealed that opposition to the project surged from 35% to 53% within a year due to concerns over noise, pollution, and traffic congestion. Consequently, the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, has received and accepted a hundred complaints for consideration.

The Madrid circuit is a hybrid model, largely taking place within Ifema but also spanning over a kilometer of streets used daily by residents and passing drivers. Both regional and municipal technicians agree that the Formula 1 event will exceed the noise levels permitted by the capital's regulations during training and race days, affecting residents nearest to the track. This includes homes north of the M-11 in Valdefuentes, particularly those adjacent to the Ifema expansion on Francisco Umbral and Florentino Rodríguez Alonso streets, where the distance to the circuit is approximately 40 meters. It also impacts the surroundings of Pedroñeras Street in the eastern part of Canillas neighborhood and the northern area of La Piovera, where homes are located between 320 and 500 meters from the circuit.