F1 announces ‘rotation’ races for future calendar with two European venues impacted

With more countries than ever before keen to host an F1 race, two traditional races will take place once every two years

Barcelona will host F1 races in 2026, 2028, 2030 and 2032 (PA Wire)

Formula 1 has announced a six-year “rotational” contract for a grand prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in the next phase of the sport’s expansion strategy.

F1 announced last year that the famous Spa-Francorchamps will host a grand prix once every two years from 2027 to 2031, and now the Belgian Grand Prix’s rotational partner has been confirmed.

Barcelona’s future as a host venue had been in doubt, given F1 will host an annual street race in Madrid from this September. However, after major renovation to the site, the newly titled Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix will take place in 2028, 2030 and 2032 in rotation with Spa.

Spa-Francorchamps will host a race in 2026, 2027, 2029 and 2031 (Getty)

F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said: “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.

“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.”

The circuit has worked to improve the fan experience in recent years. A new hospitality space above the third sector has been built, solar panels are now positioned throughout the site and a fan festival has been hosted alongside the race weekend in the iconic Placa de Catalunya.

Another factor which aided Barcelona’s cause was its hosting of the five-day ‘shakedown’ test last month, in which most details were kept under wraps. It has regularly been the European venue for testing in previous years.

With Portugal being added to the 2027 calendar in a two-year deal, Formula 1 now has contracts for 24 races – a number Domenicali has insisted he won’t go over – for next year’s schedule. This year’s Dutch Grand Prix will be the last race at Zandvoort.

It also puts to bed speculation of a 2027 race in South Africa, with the likes of Rwanda, Morocco, South Korea, Turkey, Thailand and Argentina among the other interested parties.

The 2026 season starts with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 8 March. The final pre-season takes place this week (18-20 February) in Bahrain.