A magnetic recording medium for being used in a write/read system in which a difference of track width between write track width and read track width is smaller than 10 .mu.m, which comprises: a magnetic layer containing ferromagnetic powder and a binder; a nonmagnetic support; and a backcoating layer, in this order, at least one of the magnetic layer and the backcoating layer having servo signals for tracking control pre-recorded therein, wherein the nonmagnetic support is a film of a polyester having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.40 to 0.60 dl/g and a number average molecular weight of 12000 to 24000.