Madrid's inaugural F1 Spanish Grand Prix bans cash in favour of MAD-Coins bracelet system

Spectators heading to the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid will be unable to pay with cash, debit cards or standard digital wallets at any food, beverage or merchandise outlet inside the Madring circuit. Instead, organisers have introduced MAD-Coins, a proprietary cashless currency loaded onto a smart bracelet, as the sole accepted payment method across the entire venue.

The race weekend runs from 11 to 13 September 2026 and forms the 14th round of the F1 season — marking the sport’s first-ever visit to the new Madring facility in the Spanish capital.

How MAD-Coins work

One MAD-Coin is pegged at €1 and is spent by tapping the smart bracelet at point-of-sale terminals throughout the circuit. Fans can buy coins before arriving via the official Madring website or purchase them on-site, receiving a QR code that links the balance to their bracelet at designated activation points inside the venue.

Three pre-loaded packages are currently on offer. The Basic Pack provides 50 MAD-Coins for €50, the Pit Stop Pack offers 100 MAD-Coins for €100, and the Full Throttle Pack costs €150 for 160 MAD-Coins — 150 coins plus 10 gifted as a bonus. No handling fees apply to online purchases.

Any unspent balance will be refunded in full after the event at no charge, though MAD-Coins received through promotional offers are excluded from the refund scheme.

The system effectively functions as a pre-paid venue wallet, a model that has become increasingly common at large-scale sporting events in Europe as organisers look to reduce queuing times and simplify on-site transactions. For fans travelling to Madrid, the practical implication is straightforward: arrive with a MAD-Coin balance loaded onto the bracelet, or plan to exchange money at one of the on-site top-up points before heading to any concession stand.