The FIA has poured cold water on rumors that a deal to relocate F1’s Spanish Grand Prix to Madrid is close, stating that the project has yet to advance to its crucial initial phases.
Over a year ago, the city of Madrid informed Formula One Management [FOM] that it was committed to bringing Grand Prix racing to the streets of the capital of Spain at some point in the future.
That commitment led to a formal project being put on its rails and supported by IFEMA, Madrid's major center for conferences and conventions which is operated by public organisations, and on the grounds of which would be laid out a proper F1 street circuit.
Last summer, IFEMA – which hosted this year’s F1 Exhibition – suggested that its F1 plans were advancing according to the process indicated to the promoters of the event.
Last week, rumors circulated that the race in Madrid was poised for approval, with discussions with FOM reaching a crucial stage.
However, the FIA has squashed suggestions that a deal between Madrid and Formula 1 is in the pipeline.
FIA Senate President Carmelo Sanz de Barros, who also heads the Spanish Automobile Federation, clarified that the Spanish Grand Prix’s relocation plan is still in its early stages and requires further key steps before a formal announcement can be made.
"There is a clear process to have a grand prix in a place, and I don't think that the process is being followed based on what you read," de Barros told selected members of the media.
"The Spanish automobile federation is where the process starts, because whenever there is a new competition that wants to happen in a country, you have to go to them.
"So, have the Spanish Federation received as of today this project to be analysed, studied and focused? No, they have not seen it. This special step has not happened yet.
"Then, when the Spanish federation consider that this project is a valid project and that they are interested, they channel it to where? To the FIA, because they have to homologate it. If they are talking about a semi-urban circuit, the first thing you have to do is to homologate it and certify, things like that.
"So, if the Spanish federation have not received anything, then therefore they have not sent anything to the FIA, so the FIA have not received anything. So, nobody [inside the FIA] has been working so far on this project that has been in the press in the last few days."
De Barros emphasized that both he and the FIA are open to evaluating the Madrid Grand Prix plans once they are submitted.
However, he expressed concern about the potential of political maneuvering behind the scenes, with rumors being leaked to the media without proper authorization.
"I've been reading also a lot about Madrid trying to steal from Barcelona, and trying to kill Montmelo or things like that…and definitely I think that the way it is being positioned is not correct," he said.
"This has been probably influenced by the political situation we are living in, of Madrid versus Barcelona.
"Also, and I don't know if this was announced, but we had some experience in the past, when we were trying to bring the 2030 Olympic Games to Madrid and due to leakage and due to not following processes, this has not happened.
"I hope that this is not the case [with the Madrid race] because I would love to have a race in Madrid. But is it the only project that I'm aware of to have F1 in Madrid? No, I know of at least another two."
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