Do not panic. The highest authority of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, its president, and at the same time a member of the Government of the Generalitat, the Business Minister Roger Torrent, assures that Barcelona has nothing to fear in the face of the threat of a transfer of F1 to Madrid to starting in 2027.
“We are very convinced of the assets that Barcelona offers, which is history, 33 years in a row of F1 at the Circuit, but above all what we offer is future, with this momentum that the Circuit has gained. Therefore, we are very convinced that the relationship between Barcelona and F1 will be for many years, for sure," the minister told the media at the Circuit de Montmeló.
Roger Torrent has always been very aware of the shadow competition that Madrid has made to Barcelona to win Formula 1. He expressed it clearly in an interview with La Vanguardia two years ago. "Díaz-Ayuso tried to take F1 to Madrid," he said. And there continues Madrid and other active forces (such as RACE) pressing to make a project that convinces Formula 1 and Stefano Domenicali, the boss of the great circus.
Faced with eventual competition, and although Barcelona has three more years left on its contract (until 2026, included), the Circuit has already started contacts to extend the continuity of F1 beyond 2026.
“We are talking to F1. We would like to extend this relationship as long as possible, we are very satisfied. The commitment of the Government and the country with the F1 GP and MotoGP, and with the Circuit, in short, is very great and very intense, it comes from 33 uninterrupted years doing the GP with all the solvency and interest of the country. This is the great asset that Barcelona and Catalonia offer. And that it will be definitive to extend this relation".
In fact, some Formula 1 voices have joined in supporting Barcelona, such as Lewis Hamilton, who commented on Thursday that he hoped "they don't do another Valencia; that circuit wasn't fun to drive. It's important that we keep the classic races ", he said in reference to the Circuit de Montmeló. "I don't think we want to lose Barcelona. I love the city and it's one of the classic circuits, which I've always enjoyed."
Carlos Sainz also referred to this territorial controversy: "I don't think Formula 1 intends to lose Barcelona," said the man from Madrid at the official FIA press conference.
In this sense, Roger Torrent underlines the tradition and "soil" that Barcelona brings, like Monaco or Silverstone, to the F1 calendar. "We come from a trajectory built over the years, which has created fans as seen in the influx of public, Catalonia breathes F1, there is a cultural substrate impregnated in the country. This is very relevant. It is what the GPs contribute historic and traditional, such as Barcelona, Monaco or Silverstone, which give the World Cup a plus".
The Minister also referred to the traffic problems at the accesses to the Circuit, for the second consecutive year, the result of a massive influx (100,080 spectators on Saturday and more than 120,000 this Sunday), but also due to poor traffic management, without a device Thursday and Friday.
“We must bear in mind that we are in an industrial environment and it makes it difficult for us to manage traffic. Last year and this year we are recovering the capacity we had, we came from two years of pandemic, and therefore we are adapting the devices to the new influx. In the coming years the devices will be larger, we must work on this line for Thursday and Friday ”, admitted the minister.
