The Circuit is doing its part but we still have to wait for the renewal in F1: this works and its future

Will Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya renew its F1 contract after 2026? This is the million-dollar question, and for now, it remains without a concrete answer. Of course, the leaders of the route, Josep Lluis Santamaría, director, and Oriol Sagrera, general secretary of the Department of Business and Work of the Generalitat, continue to insist on their “optimism” and “confidence” to reach an agreement with the Librety Media, the company that owns F1, to keep the ‘Great Circus’ in Barcelona for many years.

It is true that the pattern of recent renovations has repeated itself. No matter how difficult things are for the Catalan track, he always manages to continue in F1 after repeating that “optimism” in the media. However, this time it is very different as Madrid will host the Spanish GP starting in 2026, the last year of Barcelona’s current contract, which will share a presence with the capital’s event in that year’s calendar. As a result, two main questions arise: Will the Circuit be renewed in F1 when the presence of the new Spanish GP in Madrid is official from 2026? Is there room in F1 for two Grand Prix in Spain? F1 recently said that this may be the case and that the Spanish market is important. Although there are doubts.

In that sense, the different approach in Catalonia regarding this possibility is remarkable compared to other countries with a huge automotive tradition such as Italy with two current Grand Prix: Monza (Italian GP) and Imola (Emilia-Romagna GP). “The situation is complicated, we have to fight,” The president of Automobile Club Italia (ACI), Angelo Sticchi Damiani regarding Imola’s future on the calendar, highlighting the difficulty of thinking about keeping F1 at Imola with two Grand Prix in Italy in a world where more and more countries are interested in hosting F1.

Why doesn’t the Circuit think that’s a problem? MD asked Oriol Sagrera and his answer has a lot to do with the visit this newspaper will make to the circuit’s facilities.

“I think we all know what Liberty Media is asking and what F1 is asking to get an F1 Grand Prix. So it doesn’t have much to do with the fact that the two Grand Prix are part of the same country, but what proposal is from the sponsor,” express.

We know the challenge, we accept it and we have equipped ourselves with the tools to offer the best proposition and the best F1 experience at World level. AND “We know that we compete on a global level, with markets that do it well and our ambition is to do it equally or better than the rest of our competitors.”he added.

The new facilities, almost ready for F1

If we return to the case of Imola and Barcelonayou only need to look at the current state of both routes to understand why these are two different issues. Imola It is a mythical track, steeped in history, where Ayrton Senna died 30 years ago, and a few kilometers from Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello. The place can be peaceful for F1, but it had two problems: the track was too narrow for current F1 cars and it was almost impossible to overtake. And above all: the facilities are very old and it is difficult to adapt them to the demand of the VIP products currently prioritized by F1.

Without going any further, this year the journalists worked in an additional press room, too far from the paddock, something that F1 cannot afford at the moment. AND monzato stay on schedule, the track had to be resurfaced and major aspects such as underpasses for cars and fans changed.

It is key then to understand that the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is making a great effort to maintain F1 that they do not, for example, layouts like Imola. The Catalan track has been under construction for months to adapt to the needs and will of the new Formula 1, where the product dedicated to VIPs and their experience (the fans who contribute the most money) is especially important.

Therefore, as part of the desire to renew itself and adapt to the wishes of F1, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is finalizing the details of its renovations. MD witnessed this by visiting the new control tower, the exteriors of the new ‘Circuit Rooftop‘ and the wonderful new paddock club.

At the top of the control tower there will be a room with a terrace overlooking the runway. And next to it there is almost nothing left of the huge terrace located above the pits. A large deck located in that area allows the previous terrace, where a tent used to be located, to leave room for a large permanent room of almost 4,000 m2 that will be used to host the ‘VIP’ of the Paddock Club (more expensive entry), the VIP Village and the institutional area, a room that will also have several meters of terrace in front of it with views of the pit. and at the finish line. And on top of that new roof, thousands of photovoltaic panels still need to be installed that will allow the circuit have a pioneering storage system to ensure the facility’s energy sufficiency.

Behind the aforementioned paddock club room, a large outdoor terrace is maintained to create another space VIP and, next to it, a new hospitality building dedicated to companies and their guests.

But undoubtedly, what stands out the most is the jewel in the crown of these works, the new ‘Circuit Rooftop’, a large installation already visible from the paddock, but not yet accessible to this newspaper as details of the work are being finalised. With two and a half weeks left, The track is working against the clock in the completion phase of this project with the certainty that the ‘Rooftop’ will be finished and ready for the next Spanish GPwhere its inauguration will take place.

Improve the fan experience

This change of Circuit, a necessary update, shows the commitment of this track in achieving renewal in F1. To this we must add the desire to improve the access and experience of fans. in a GP where high temperatures are expected. They wanted to make it cover several stands (of track and increasing coverage and water access points in all facilities.

“We have already covered the stand between turns 8 and 9 (stand S), the stand at turn 1, turn 2, turn 5 and 6, and as a new one, as well as the old VIP stand, which is now becoming a stand 10: half will be operational for the public and we continue to cover and improve it”argued MD Santamaría.

This, together with the integration of the city of Barcelona in the ‘road show’ held during the week of the Grand Prix in Paseo de Gracia and the fan area located in Plaça Catalunya, represent important steps forward to show F1 that must continue of Barcelona its race on the calendar. Circuit and Barcelona are doing their part. Now we have to wait for F1 to believe it is necessary to continue in Barcelona.

“An announcement on the renewal at the next Spanish GP? We are very hopeful, we are very optimistic and the relationship with F1 is very good, as we have said many times. We are very optimistic that we can extend the relationship in the future. It is not time to explain the details of the negotiations or to close this agreement. Therefore, for this F1 Grand Prix, it is very unlikely that there will be any announcement about it, but I am confident that in the coming months or yearsbecause we still have 2 and a half years ahead of us, so we can explain that F1 will stay in Barcelona for much longer.”