The likelihood of retaining Formula 1 in Barcelona after 2026, despite Madrid acquiring the official Spanish Grand Prix title, remains unchanged from several months prior.
Oriol Sagrera, recently appointed CEO of the Circuit de Catalunya, the longstanding host of the Spanish GP since the 1990s, conveyed this update.
"We still have a lot of room to finalise the details of the renewal," he informed Spanish media outlets.
This statement coincides with the announcement of a partnership between the circuit and Fira de Barcelona, the city's major trade fair organisation. A newly formed entity, Fira Circuit, will now oversee the operations at the venerable Formula 1 racetrack for the next two decades.
Constanti Serrallonga, head of Fira de Barcelona, addressed concerns about potential impacts on the partnership if negotiations with Liberty Media, which manages F1, were to falter.
"Not at all," he reassured. "The scenario is that Fira can contribute to improving the activity of the circuit beyond Formula 1, and this makes sense in any scenario."
"The agreement is for 20 years, regardless of whether the future is with or without F1, although we hope to have F1 for many years," he added, reflecting a long-term commitment to the facility's success regardless of its F1 status.
