Formula 1 has signed a new agreement with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya that keeps the venue on the calendar deep into the next decade — but in a format that underlines just how ruthless the modern schedule has become.
The key detail isn’t simply that Barcelona has been “saved”. It’s that it’s been saved in the same way Spa-Francorchamps now has been: by accepting rotation.
With the Spanish Grand Prix moving to Madrid from 2026, F1 has confirmed Barcelona will still stage a race beyond that point. The event will be renamed the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, and after hosting in 2026 it will shift to a biannual slot, returning in 2028, 2030 and 2032.
Spa’s future is tied directly to that arrangement. 2027 will be the final season the Belgian Grand Prix appears annually; from then on, Spa will be on the calendar in 2029 and 2031, alternating with Barcelona.
The message is pretty clear: heritage still matters in F1’s sales pitch, but it no longer guarantees a permanent seat at the table.
As the calendar continues to bulge and demand for races keeps climbing, rotation has become the compromise that allows F1 to tell fans and stakeholders it’s protecting tradition, while also keeping space free for newer, higher-paying projects. It’s a neat solution for the commercial side of the sport — and a slightly uncomfortable one for anyone who grew up thinking certain tracks were untouchable.
Barcelona’s case is particularly interesting because this isn’t a circuit being preserved out of pure nostalgia. It’s been an F1 workhorse for decades, and in recent years the local organisers have poured effort into modernising the event and building out the fan experience. That investment is explicitly part of the rationale F1 is selling here, as much as the romance of another summer weekend on the outskirts of the city.
“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 F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
He also pointed to the work done behind the scenes: “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.”
Domenicali thanked a list of Catalan officials and circuit executives for what he described as their commitment to securing the renewal, and signed off with the sort of promise F1 always makes when it’s happy with a deal: “I can’t wait to see our brilliant fans in Barcelona in June!”
For the circuit’s side, the framing is equally direct: this is a strategic win, not just a sporting one. Pol Gibert, CEO of Circuits de Catalunya SL, said the renewal runs “at least until 2032” and stressed the long-term positioning of the region.
“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,” he said.
Gibert also put a number on the value of an F1 weekend to the region, claiming “an economic impact of more than €300 million per edition,” while arguing the broader payoff is reputational — projecting Catalonia globally as a place capable of hosting major events.
All of which makes the rotating model feel less like a punishment and more like the price of entry in 2026-era Formula 1. It’s not that Barcelona or Spa have been judged unworthy. It’s that the sport’s definition of “secure” has changed. A multi-year deal now can still mean you’re absent half the time.
And from a fan point of view, it’s a double-edged sword. There’s an upside: rotation can keep classic venues alive in a calendar that increasingly resembles a global touring circuit designed around commercial opportunity. But the downside is obvious — it turns races with deep roots into occasional events, and it normalises the idea that even the most beloved weekends are optional.
For Spa, the line that will sting is “2027 will be the final year” as an annual stop. That’s not a small shift in a sport that has long leaned on Spa’s identity to balance out the more modern additions to the schedule. For Barcelona, the bittersweet twist is that while Madrid takes over the “Spanish Grand Prix” name from 2026, the old home remains — just not every year, and not under the title that defined it.
F1 will present this as a win-win, and commercially it probably is. But it’s also another reminder that the calendar fight isn’t coming for the marginal events anymore. It’s coming for everyone.
