The Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya – a partnership of the Government of Catalonia, the Royal Automobile Club of Catalonia, and the Montmeló Town Council – has extended its agreement with Formula 1® to cover 2020, ensuring that the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix will continue to be part of the FIA Formula 1® World Championship calendar.

 

With the extension of the agreement, which expires this year, the Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya has ensured that the Formula 1® Grand Prix will be held at the Montmeló track next season and will continue to make history as it hosts the 30th consecutive edition of the Spanish Formula 1® Grand Prix. The extension also cements the circuit’s international standing and positioning as a sports and entertainment leader.

 

Key actors are currently working on a strategic plan for the Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya with the aim of developing a broader project for the facility and ensuring its continued viability. The plan will need to define the role of Formula 1® events in the long term.

 

Quim Torra, president of the Government of Catalonia, said: “Catalonia will host a Formula 1® Grand Prix for the 30th consecutive year. Catalonia has a very long tradition in motor sport, and we are pleased to have cemented our position as a classic event on the calendar for fans around the world. Over the last 30 years, we have integrated the event in the Catalan government’s industrial policy, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya has become an important tool for stimulating economic activity in Catalonia in the tourism sector and the car and entertainment industries. The event also gives us a chance to show the world what Catalans are like, how we work, and what our country is like. For all of these reasons, we welcome the continuity of Formula 1® in Catalonia. We’re grateful for the excellent relationship with Chase Carey, Formula 1® chairman and CEO, and are aware that our challenge now is to ensure that the Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya continues to act as an economic driver and a link to our sports and industrial tradition.”

 

Chase Carey, Formula 1® chairman and CEO, said: “We are pleased to confirm that the Spanish Grand Prix will be on the calendar of the 2020 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The decision to continue to stage a round of the pinnacle of motor sport in Spain, a country with a great motor racing tradition, dating back to the start of the last century, is part of our strategy of maintaining Formula 1®’s European roots while also currently expanding the championship into new territories. The promoter’s willingness to be part of Formula 1® going into 2020 is proof of the sport’s ability to act as a catalyst for regions to hold world-class events and also to have a positive impact on the area’s economy. In the coming months, we will continue our discussions to see if we can further extend this advantageous relationship. In the meantime, I would like to thank Quim Torra, the Catalan president, for his vital support in these negotiations, in the hope of celebrating a fantastic 50th Spanish Grand Prix in 2020, the 30th to be held at one of the most technically demanding circuits on the World Championship calendar.”

 

 

Holding the Formula 1® Gran Prix in Catalonia generates an economic impact of €163 million. In 2019, the event drew 160,428 spectators, who spent an average of over €1000. In Barcelona, fans spent a total of €28.4 million on accommodation, dining out, leisure activities and transport, as well as in many other sectors. Apart from driving economic and social activity, the Gran Prix has a major media impact. Over 900 media outlets cover the event, shining an international spotlight on the Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya.

 

The Gran Prix also generates opportunities year-round. The total economic impact of staging the event is over €291 million; it is estimated that investment and spending by fans generate as many as 2754 jobs; and, according to a study carried out by the TecnoCampus scientific park, the event produces slightly over €42 million in tax revenue.

 

 

 

Fans can now purchase a ticket package for the 2020 Formula 1® Spanish Grand Prix at a special discounted price at www.circuit.cat.