The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will no longer be exclusively a motor venue, as it was conceived in the 90s. The granting of the operation and management of the facility by the Government to Fira de Barcelona for 20 years will mean the diversification of activities of what has been called the motor temple of Catalonia, with a new business model that will include, in addition to races, activities such as fairs, conferences, healthy leisure, concerts, cultural events and the sustainable mobility industry.
According to the agreement reached by the Government of the Generalitat, the largest shareholder of the company that manages the Circuit, and Fira de Barcelona, the transfer of the operation will be for 20 years. A payment from Fira de Barcelona is established that combines a fixed part (9 million euros in 2025, 10 in 2026) and a variable part depending on the management income (from 25% to 45 million in income, and from 20% onwards). The agreement will enter into force on January 1, 2025.
"It had to be an agreement that was favorable for Fira, that generated a business opportunity, and an opportunity for the Generalitat of Catalonia to reduce the public contribution that this intensive installation entails," commented the CEO of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Oriol Sagrera.
The direct awarding of the lease contract for the engine installation, approved today by the Circuit's Board of Directors, responds to the need to improve equipment management. "The will is to improve management efficiency, reinforce the commitment to digitalization, become a reference in terms of sustainability, intensify territorial roots and diversify activity," the agreement states.
The Montmeló venue, in operation since 1991, has been in deficit due to the dependence on the injection of public money and the weight of the two fees paid to host the Formula 1 and MotoGP World Cup races, of around 30 million. of euros each year.
The new managing entity of the Circuit, called Fira Circuit (wholly owned by Fira de Barcelona), will take charge of the group of Circuit workers (about 60 people), who will maintain their working conditions.
Likewise, the alliance between the Circuit and Fira de Barcelona will not affect the ownership of the assets or that of the F1 contracts with Liberty Media, or MotoGP with Dorna Sports, which will continue to be the property of Circuits de Catalunya. That is to say, the Circuit (the Generalitat) will continue to pay the fees for hosting the two great motorsport circuses, and Fira de Barcelona will not be a shareholder or co-owner of the facility as the Circuit had previously proposed.
The Minister of Economy and Business, Roger Torrent, will continue to be the president of the Circuit, a position he assumed three years ago. "After three decades of existence of this equipment, it was necessary to take a step forward, to have a 21st century infrastructure", for which the Circuit's Strategic Plan was drafted (October 2022), which set out to "improve the efficiency" of the management, "make it more effective and efficient with a new model", which includes Fira de Barcelona.
"Fira had to be our partner because it is synonymous with experience. With this agreement we bring together two great professional teams," Torrent highlighted. "With this agreement, we consolidate the Circuit as the best stable circuit in the world."
