ARE WE NEARING THE END OF BARCELONA'S RUN AS AN F1 CITY?

Miquel Sàmper, who is president of the largely publicly-owned Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the regional minister for business and labor for Catalonia, visited the paddock ahead of qualifying for the Spanish GP...

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Barcelona may be quickly approaching its end as a Formula 1 city after more than three decades of racing in northeastern Spain. The grand prix is under contract through next year, but the addition of a race in Madrid also in 2026 has put a bullseye on the event that has been held near Barcelona since 1991. F1 has trended toward adding urban and temporary circuits, which offer spectators the services and attractions of a city and are not difficult to get to. That push was behind the announcement last year that Spain’s capital would get its own race on a temporary circuit.

Miquel Sàmper, who is president of the largely publicly-owned Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the regional minister for business and labor for Catalonia, visited the paddock ahead qualifying for the Spanish GP. He told reporters that negotiations were ongoing with F1 to keep the race on the calendar in 2027 but they would take maximum discretion and, most importantly, time, just like “the best cooking.”