Formula One returns to Madrid this weekend, albeit on a newly constructed track called the Madring Circuit. Drivers will learn first-hand how to navigate the new circuit, which is said to have dangerous spots that can cause big crashes. 

This weekend also marks the first time since 1981 that Madrid will be hosting an F1 race. Why did the championship leave Madrid, and who were its last winners? Let's find out. 

The Madrid region hosted F1 before, but not at the new Madring Circuit. The previous races here were held at the Circuito del Jarama, about 30 kilometers north of central Madrid.

Designed by Dutch engineer John Hugenholtz, who also built the Suzuka and Zandvoort tracks, Jarama first hosted an F1 race in 1968. Drivers had to nail their braking points because Jarama was narrow, short, and packed with corners.

Overtaking here was very difficult, and the track had limited room for expansion.  With F1 cars growing wider and faster, Circuito del Jarama was eventually deemed too tight and outdated for modern racing safety standards. 

F1 left Jarama after the 1981 race, moved to Jerez in 1986, and then to Catalunya in 1991.

James Hunt dominated that weekend in Jarama, starting from pole and then finishing ahead of Niki Lauda by almost 31 seconds. But Hunt was initially disqualified by the stewards because his rear wing was 1.5cm too wide. McLaren appealed, arguing that the infraction was minimal and had no performance benefit. They won the appeal, and Hunt was reinstated as the winner in Jarama.

On Saturday, Mario Andretti took pole by 0.72 seconds over Jacques Laffite. On Sunday, he was virtually unstoppable. Andretti had a comfortable afternoon, utilizing his Lotus's superior cornering grip on Jarama's twisty track.

Having won the previous year, Andretti's Lotus was again the superior car in Jarama. This was the era when Lotus' ground-effect technology was beginning to transform F1. Andretti crossed the checkered line first, producing a Lotus 1-2 finish with teammate Ronnie Peterson behind.

Depailler started in the front row behind teammate Jacques Laffite. It was a tight battle between the two, but Laffite's car sustained a gearbox failure that forced him to retire. From then on, Depailler was unchallenged, finishing 20.94 seconds ahead of Carlos Reutemann.

Starting seventh in a powerful but poor-handling Ferrari, Villeneuve rocketed up to second on the opening lap. He inherited the lead when championship leader Alan Jones spun on Lap 14. Villeneuve didn't have the best car, but he used his Ferrari's turbo horsepower to gain more ground on the straights. 

Eventually, Villeneuve held off the more technically sound cars behind him and won the last F1 race held at Jarama. 1981 wasn't a good year in the championship for Ferrari, but the win at Jarama boosted the morale of the team.

As the F1 grid prepares for its return to Madrid, championship leader Kimi Antonelli holds a 66-point lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell. A rousing performance at Monza saw him charge from P19 to P1. The 20-year-old Italian driver remains the favorite to win Formula One's first race at the Madring Circuit.