The Barcelona GP board has reportedly reached a new agreement with Formula 1. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is said to remain on the calendar until 2032, albeit on a rotation system with Spa-Francorchamps. The current contract expires next year. Meanwhile, Madrid has secured a long-term partnership; from 2026, races will be held on a street circuit in the Spanish capital.
After months of negotiations, the Barcelona GP has secured a new Formula 1 deal, according to Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia. Sources indicate that the contract is yet to be signed, but the partnership covers three seasons: 2028, 2030, and 2032. This means the race will return every other year, alternating with the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps. The event will also continue to be listed on the calendar as the ‘Barcelona-Catalunya GP’. From next year, the Spanish GP will be held in Madrid.
The Catalan government plays a key role in the process. Miquel Samper, Minister of Business and Employment, confirmed that ‘negotiations are on track’, but emphasized that ‘nothing has been signed yet’. Insiders suggest that Barcelona will pay nearly 28 million euros per year to host Formula 1, in line with the increases imposed by Liberty Media.
Rotation System
A potential extension of the Barcelona GP marks the beginning of a new rotation system for European circuits. Belgium previously announced an agreement for four races over six seasons – 2026, 2027, 2029, and 2031 – which aligns perfectly with the three seasons in which Barcelona would like to host. There was previously talk of a rotation system that would also include the Dutch GP at Zandvoort alternating on the calendar. However, the Dutch administration will pull the plug on the event after 2026. The Portuguese GP at the Portimão circuit is now ready to step in as a replacement.
There is currently limited space for European circuits on the globally popular Formula 1 calendar. With growing demand from new markets, about ten weekends are set aside for European races. Barcelona initially aimed for a long-term agreement until 2036, similar to Madrid, to recoup investments in improvements and modernization of the circuit.
