F1 just announced that from 2026 the Spanish GP will be held in Madrid. That left many doubts regarding Barcelona, but Stefano Domenicali said that the sport might still race there in the future.
Formula 1 CEO wanted to clarify that the circuit of Barcelona might not leave the calendar in the future. In the past, Spain had already hosted two races, and it might happen again in the next years.
Spain wouldn’t be the first country to do so, as Italy also has two races – one in Imola and the other in Monza -. There is something else that must be taken into account, though. Many tracks are now signing long-term deals, and in the last few seasons Formula 1 added a few new circuits to the calendar. That means that securing a spot for hosting a Grand Prix is not easy at all – and a lot of money is required -.
However, Domenicali said that Spain is an important market for the sport, and Barcelona could still host races.
“For the avoidance of doubt and to clarify here, the fact we are in Madrid is not excluding the fact we could stay in Barcelona for the future,” Domenicali told the F1 website.
“Looking ahead, there are discussions in place to see if we can really extend our collaboration with Barcelona, with whom we have a very good relationship, for the future.”
“Spain was a market that just a couple of years ago, was not in the center of our eyes,” he said.
“Now it is very important. We signed a new deal with Spanish broadcaster DAZN until at least the end of 2026. It’s a nice problem to have, to have multiple cities – some in the same country – wanting to host a grand prix.”