F1 News
Domenicali gives Barcelona hope: 'Why shouldn't it be possible?'
- Ludo van Denderen
With the announcement of a 10-year deal with Madrid, Formula 1 seemed to say goodbye to Barcelona - where the sport has been a guest since 1991. Yet Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1's CEO, has hopeful news for the Circuit de Catalunya.
According to the Italian, it is not an established fact that Barcelona and Madrid cannot both host a Grand Prix. "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 said on Formula 1's official website.
Talks on new Barcelona contract ongoing
In fact, according to Domenicali, talks are already underway about extending the Barcelona commitment, which currently expires in 2026. "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,” the Formula 1 CEO said.
The Spanish market is important for Formula 1 (again these days). Around 3.5 million Spaniards watch an average Grand Prix. Therefore, Domenicali says: "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.”