Verstappen Supports Barcelona Staying in F1

(GMM) Max Verstappen says he wants Barcelona (pictured) to remain part of the Formula 1 world championship schedule beyond 2026.

Madrid’s street event has already been confirmed as Spain’s permanent host from 2026, but F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has floated the idea of a race rotation scheme that could give Barcelona a reprieve alongside a second European venue such as Spa-Francorchamps.

“I think overall it would be incredible if Barcelona stayed in F1,” the four-time world champion, no fan of street circuits, told El Mundo Deportivo.

“Of course, naturally, I always have fond memories of the Circuit. It’s a fantastic circuit to drive an F1 car.

“But I think it’s also fantastic for Spain. Okay, Madrid is coming to F1, great, and it’s nice to see the enthusiasm for F1 in the country. But I still think Barcelona is still important.

“Having such a suitable circuit with so much history is important. They’re two great cities, and for me, it would be very nice if Barcelona stayed on the calendar.”

Max Verstappen has such good things to say about Fernando Alonso, and vice-versa, does that tell us they will be teammates at Aston Martin in 2027?

The 27-year-old also expressed deep admiration for fellow champion Fernando Alonso, 44, who continues to compete for Aston Martin.

“He doesn’t have a car that can win the championship, but he never gives up,” Verstappen said. “He’s always a fighter, and that’s something I admire about him. He continues with the utmost passion even when things aren’t going well.

“And that, to me, shows that he’s a true fighter. I hope I can do the same for a long time.”

Asked if a title battle against Alonso could materialize under the new regulations, Verstappen replied, “I hope so! Fighting for a World Championship against Alonso would be fantastic. I have a lot of respect for Fernando, because he’s a great champion.

“I would love to, but right now it’s very difficult to know what F1 will look like in 2026.”

He also commented on the forthcoming rule changes. “The cars will be slower, of course. They’ll have more power, but less downforce. I think driving them will be very different. But let’s hope that these new regulations and the new cars can ultimately bring better racing back to F1.”

As for his peers, Verstappen identified Charles Leclerc as the strongest in qualifying and also among the best at overtaking – but reserved his highest praise for Alonso in racing, defending, intelligence, and competitive mentality.

“Fernando could have won much more than he has, that’s for sure,” Verstappen said. “He could have won much more if he had been on the right team at the right time.”

When asked about Lewis Hamilton, his former championship rival, Verstappen downplayed the idea of missing their battles. “No, ‘missing’ is a very strong term,” he said.

“I appreciate the struggle I had at that time.”