What to bring to the
IFEMA Circuit?
The Madrid GP security rules explained. A checklist of what you can take in, what to leave at home and what the September weather will do to your day.
Security check: allowed vs prohibited
You cannot bring in food or drink
This is the point most people get backwards — and this guide had it wrong until July 2026. The official MADRING FAQ lists food and drink from outside among the prohibited items, with no exception for a sealed bottle or a sandwich. There is catering inside in the Fan Zones. Unauthorised items may be confiscated and destroyed at the checkpoint.
Prohibited
Official MADRING list
- ✗Food brought in from outside
- ✗Drinks brought in from outside
- ✗Weapons and sharp objects
- ✗Illegal substances
- ✗Personal mobility vehicles (scooters and similar)
- ✗In the Pelouse, additionally: folding chairs and cool boxes
Allowed
Confirmed by the organisers
- ✓Guide dogs and accredited assistance animals
- ✓Photos and video for personal use (non-commercial)
No published rule
The organisers have not published maximum bag dimensions, nor any specific policy on umbrellas, chairs outside the Pelouse, selfie sticks or telephoto lenses. We do not invent the numbers: if you are carrying something borderline, check with the official channel first.
Madrid weather in September
In mid-September Madrid is in transition. During the day, sitting in the sun in the IFEMA grandstands, it can get seriously hot. By early evening, though, the temperature drops.
Security at the IFEMA Circuit
- There is no re-entry. Once your ticket has been scanned you cannot leave and come back in. It is the rule that wrecks the most plans: if you head out for lunch or to drop something in the car, you lose the rest of the day.
- The venue opens at 08:00 and closes at 20:00 on all three days, so you could be inside for twelve hours. Plan your water and food on the basis that you will be buying both there.
- Guide dogs and accredited assistance animals are allowed. It is one of the few exceptions the organisers state explicitly.
- Photos and video, personal use only. Professional or commercial use is not permitted without accreditation.
Is there left luggage at IFEMA?
The organisers have not published whether there will be a left-luggage service inside the MADRING venue. Until they confirm it, plan as though there is none: that is the assumption that does not leave you stranded at the gate.
The real problem is not the size of your bag, it is that there is no re-entry. If you arrive with a suitcase from the hotel or fly out on Sunday evening, you cannot leave it in the car and come back in: whatever does not pass the security check stays outside for the rest of the day.
What to do in the meantime: drop your bags before heading to the circuit — at your hotel (almost all of them store luggage on checkout day, free of charge) or at a neighbourhood luggage store near Atocha, Chamartín or Nuevos Ministerios, which is on your way to metro line 8. It is cheaper and faster than gambling on it at the gate.
If the circuit confirms an official left-luggage service, it will be updated here and logged in how we verify our data.
Frequently asked questions
Can you bring food and drink into the circuit?
No. The official MADRING FAQ lists food and drink from outside among the prohibited items, with no exception for sealed bottles. There is catering inside in the Fan Zones.
Can you leave and come back in?
No. Once your ticket has been scanned re-entry is not allowed, and the venue is open from 08:00 to 20:00.
What bag size is allowed?
The organisers have not published maximum dimensions for this Grand Prix. Any specific figure you see elsewhere (including the one that used to be on this page) does not come from an official source.
Can I bring a folding chair?
Folding chairs and cool boxes are not allowed in the Pelouse. Every other grandstand has a numbered seat.
Is there left luggage at IFEMA?
It is not confirmed. Since there is no re-entry either, drop your bags before you go: here are the alternatives.