Formula 1 Rumor: Barcelona set for rotational F1 deal through 2032 (2nd Update)

This rumor is upgraded to ‘fact’ now.  F1 has announced a multi-year extension with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to host a Grand Prix in 2028, 2030, and 2032 in addition to the event scheduled in 2026. From this year the race will also be re-named as the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

The extension follows significant investment at the circuit in recent years including the construction of the Circuit Rooftop, a new hospitality space overlooking turns 9, 10, and 11 and the entrance of the main straight, as well as the installation of solar panels throughout the circuit.

In recent years, organisers have taken steps to elevate the overall fan experience and ensure that the wider community is at the heart of the Grand Prix. For the last two years there has been a fan festival hosted in the iconic Plaça de Catalunya ahead of the Grand Prix weekend, which will return in 2026.

The races in Barcelona will be in rotation with the Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, which will take place in 2026, 2027, 2029, and 2031.

“Barcelona is an incredible city, and the Formula 1 fans there always welcome us with such passion, so I am delighted that we will continue to race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for years to come.” said Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1.

“The team have invested heavily in the circuit and hosted fantastic fan festivals in recent years, so we look forward to seeing how they continue to develop the experience, both for attendees at the race and for the city as a whole.

“I would like to thank Salvador Illa, President of the Government of Catalunya, Pol Gibert, CEO of Circuits de Catalunya SL and General Secretary of the Department of Business and Employment for their unwavering commitment to hosting Formula 1, and Oriol Sagrera, the former CEO of Circuits de Catalunya SL and former General Secretary of the Department of Business and Employment, who was key to securing the renewal. I can’t wait to see our brilliant fans in Barcelona in June!”

Pol Gibert, CEO of Circuits de Catalunya SL and General Secretary of the Department of Business and Employment, said: “We welcome the renewal of the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Catalonia, at least until 2032.

“We would like to express our gratitude to Formula 1 for the trust placed in the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and in the region over all these years. This renewal is the result of a strong relationship and close collaboration and represents a very important step in further consolidating Catalonia as a key fixture on the international calendar.

“Formula 1 generates an economic impact of more than €300 million per edition, but above all it is a strategic event that helps project Catalonia worldwide as a country capable of hosting top-level sporting competitions.”

We hear this deal is now done with Formula 1 racing in Barcelona in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032, alternating with Spa-Francorchamps. We await the formal announcement.

(GMM) Barcelona appears set to remain on the Formula 1 calendar into the next decade under a new rotational European hosting model.

La Vanguardia reports that Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has reached a provisional agreement with Formula One Management to host grands prix in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032, alternating with Spa-Francorchamps.

Related Article: F1 News: Barcelona will offer more $ to sign new long-term F1 deal

The deal, still pending final signatures, would end Barcelona’s uninterrupted run after 36 consecutive editions, but extend its overall presence to at least 42 seasons.

Catalonia’s Minister of Business and Labour, Miquel Samper, confirmed talks are advanced but cautioned against premature conclusions. “The negotiations are progressing well,” he told the newspaper, stressing that “nothing has been signed” and that confidentiality still applies.

According to La Vanguardia, the annual hosting fee would rise to around $33 million, reflecting Liberty Media’s revised commercial model. The agreement would mirror Spa’s already-announced rotational deal, opening the door to a broader European calendar rotation.

Editor’s note: With Madrid becoming the Spanish GP in 2026, the Barcelona race will be called Barcelona-Catalunya F1 Grand Prix, a new name that will debut in 2026 (June 12-14)

Mundo Deportivo and EFE news agency echoed the caution, reporting that no contract has yet been formally signed, although sources expect “good news” before Christmas or early in 2026.

Marca added that the alternating scheme remains one of several options still under discussion.

Meanwhile, it is reported that an FIA inspection at the under-construction Madrid circuit raised no red flags, with gravel traps, barriers and high-absorption Tec-Pro installations among the elements signed off.