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Formula 1 Forgot To Tell Spain About Its Plans To Move The Spanish Grand Prix

8
Ryan Erik King
·1 min read
F1 driver Checo Perez drives the 'Red Bull RB7 (2011)' single-seater around the urban route between Puerta de Alcala, the Metropolis building, Cibeles and a stretch of Paseo Recoletos, on 15 July, 2023 in Madrid, Spain.
F1 driver Checo Perez drives the 'Red Bull RB7 (2011)' single-seater around the urban route between Puerta de Alcala, the Metropolis building, Cibeles and a stretch of Paseo Recoletos, on 15 July, 2023 in Madrid, Spain.

Formula 1 is in the closing stages of its next big calendar move, relocating the Spanish Grand Prix in 2026 from Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to a new street circuit in Madrid, the country’s capital. However, the championship’s commercial rights holder has yet to inform the Royal Automobile Club of Spain (RACE), the national body that officiates the race alongside the FIA.

While Formula One Management negotiates the contracts to hold races, it doesn’t actually run the races. The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, the sport’s global governing body, works with national clubs to evaluate the safety of new tracks, organize race officials and referee the event. It’s not an exaggeration to say these responsibilities are vital for F1.

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The proposed Madrid Grand Prix circuit would be centered around IFEMA, an exhibition park in the northeastern portion of the city near Madrid-Barajas Airport. The race is heavily rumored to be F1’s first night race in Europe. The Spanish capital hosted F1 alongside Barcelona during the 1960s and 1970s at the purpose-built Jarama circuit, roughly 20 miles north of the city center.

F1 has tested the waters in Madrid with F1: The Exhibition, a curated showcase of the sport’s past, present and future at IFEMA. While the addition of street races in Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas have been incredibly lucrative for Formula 1, Formula One Management seems to be forgetting the entities that need to deliver the event once the contract is signed.

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