RTVE sets a date for the return of 'El Grand Prix': all the details of the new schedule and the awaited return of the greasy pole

RTVE has already set the return date for El Grand Prix. The popular summer contest will return to La 1 next July 13 with a new season that will keep Ramón García as master of ceremonies and will come with important novelties both in its mechanics and in its team. In addition, the program will advance its start to prime time, airing at 9:45 PM, preceded by a segment in which the towns competing in each installment will be presented.

The 2026 edition will consist of nine programs: six qualifiers, two semifinals, and a grand final in which twelve towns from different parts of Spain will participate. The premiere will pit Cantalejo (Segovia) against Polinyà (Barcelona), while the rest of the municipalities will be Zumárraga, Balanegra, San Juan de la Rambla, Quintanar del Rey, Altura, Pradejón, Serranillos del Valle, Pravia, Blanca, and Muros.

Among the main novelties, the incorporation of Gorka Rodríguez as the new co-presenter stands out, who will accompany Ramón García and Lalachus, along with the return of Wilbur and the already inseparable Vaquilla. In addition, the contest will premiere a previous dynamic called Grand Prix comienza, in which godparents and captains will compete to get the Golden Card, a strategic advantage for the development of the program.

The new season will also bring back one of the most remembered games by viewers: the greasy pole, a historic challenge that returns after years of absence and will join classics such as hot potato, crazy logs, bowling, or the dictionary, in addition to the premiere of new challenges such as Pasión de capitanes. Lalachus, for her part, will be in charge of rescuing the iconic jingles from the nineties, reinforcing the nostalgic component of the format.

During the presentation of the new edition, held in Yepes (Toledo), Ramón García stated he felt "very satisfied" with the result and vindicated the relevance of a format that, he affirmed, "continues to be part of society and brings different generations together in front of the television". Both Lalachus and Gorka Rodríguez agreed in highlighting the excitement with which they face this new stage, while RTVE trusts in repeating the success of last season, when the contest led its time slot and once again consolidated itself as one of the great references of summer entertainment.