Barcelona lands 2027 IndyCar deal to fill F1 void

Barcelona has found a high-profile alternative to Formula 1 for 2027, with the Circuit de Catalunya hosting a round of the NTT IndyCar Series for the first time in the American championship’s history.

The deal, first reported by El Periódico, is expected to be formalised shortly, with the inaugural race scheduled for July.

While F1 will leave Montmeló off its calendar next season under a rotation arrangement, the Catalan venue has secured a new attraction with the potential to draw motorsport fans from across Europe and beyond.

And there is an especially compelling local connection: IndyCar’s reigning star, five-time champion Alex Palou, hails from Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, just outside Barcelona.

IndyCar fills the Formula 1 void

The agreement follows months of negotiations that began in June, involving the Catalan government and Fira Circuit, the organisation responsible for signing the contract.

Regional authorities had been keen to secure a major international event to compensate for Barcelona’s temporary absence from the F1 calendar. Under the current rotation system, the Spanish venue is scheduled to host Grand Prix racing again in 2028, 2030 and 2032.

IndyCar, meanwhile, offers a different flavour of single-seater competition, bringing its distinctive blend of road-course racing, ovals and street circuits to a European audience.

The Barcelona event is expected to form part of a multi-year agreement, with a full championship round awarding points towards both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles.

The championship has yet to officially confirm the race, but the agreement marks a significant step towards expanding its international footprint.

Palou’s homecoming and IndyCar’s European return

Palou has played an important role in Barcelona’s pursuit of the series, giving the event an obvious local draw.

Organisers will hope to build on the circuit’s recent success in attracting spectators, with more than 55,500 attending last weekend’s World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Barcelona.

The IndyCar race could attract an even broader audience, combining local enthusiasm for Palou with the championship’s established American fanbase. It is also expected to be IndyCar’s only European round.

The series last competed outside North America in São Paulo in 2013. Its Barcelona visit will therefore mark its first international race in 14 years and its first-ever appearance in Spain.

The last top-level American open-wheel event held in Europe was a Champ Car race at Assen in 2007.

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Last weekend, Fira Circuit director Ignasi Armengol acknowledged the ambition behind the negotiations, describing the prospect of bringing IndyCar to Barcelona as "a dream".

He had also warned of the obstacles involved: "The truth is that we're working towards it, but it's very difficult, honestly, very difficult,” he told Motorsport.com.

That difficulty now appears to have been overcome. With Formula 1 temporarily absent, Barcelona has secured another major racing attraction – and given Palou the prospect of competing on home soil in front of his own fans.

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