F1 chief shares stance on Barcelona's future as Madrid takes over Spanish GP

23 January 2024 , 11:31

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The Circuit de Catalunya's future on the F1 calendar is under threat (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Stefano Domenicali has offered hope to the Circuit de Catalunya that its place on the Formula 1 calendar may still be saved.

The Barcelona track's future in the sport is unclear after it was announced on Tuesday that the Spanish Grand Prix will be moved to a new street circuit in Madrid. That change will take effect from 2026 and end a 35-year run for the Circuit de Catalunya as host.

Madrid's inclusion makes it difficult for the Barcelona circuit to keep its place. As it stands, just two countries, the USA and Italy, host more than one F1 race annually and, with 24 venues already on the grid, there is little room for further expansion.

But Domenicali has refused to rule out a scenario in which Barcelona continues to host an annual event. The F1 chief executive told the sport's official website that talks are ongoing regarding the Circuit de Catalunya's future.

He said: "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. 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."

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There is no doubt that F1 has enjoyed a significant popularity boost in recent years. The global expansion of the sport will have contributed, as will the fact that Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz have both been racing at the front in recent times and are hugely popular at home.

Figures show that there was an 84 percent increase in the Spanish TV audience in 2023 alone, compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, four million people from Spain visited the F1 website and more than 10m watched the Spanish GP.

Domenicali admits that the sudden swell in the sport's popularity in Spain has placed that market front and centre in his vision for F1's future. He said: "Spain was a market that just a couple of years ago, was not in the centre of our eyes. 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. It shows the value of our proposition. But we need to keep focused on the reason for our success and make sure we aren't complacent."

The proposed Madrid street circuit will be 5.47km long and features 20 corners. It is based around the IFEMA convention centre to the east of the city and also runs past Real Madrid's Valdebebas training complex, close to the city's Barajas international airport.

Daniel Moxon