INDYCAR will bring its five-time champion to his home country of Spain in 2027 and beyond.
Next season’s INDYCAR schedule will include a July 18 stop at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, marking the return to Spain for Alex Palou, who won the last four INDYCAR titles.
Palou grew up outside of Barcelona.
“I’m so excited to be part of INDYCAR’s first race in Barcelona,” Palou said in a news release. “It is an amazing opportunity, and it means so much to me to have a race at home in Barcelona, it’s hard to put into words.
“I know the fans are going to love it, and I think we are going to put on a great show.”
Five-time INDYCAR champion Alex Palou will get to race on his home turf in 2027. (Getty Images)
The track, located about a 45-minute drive from Barcelona in Montmelo, was built in 1991 — the same year it played host to its first Formula 1 race.
It won’t have an F1 race next year as part of a rotation of venues but has now landed a multiyear agreement with INDYCAR.
The INDYCAR Series has not raced outside of North America since Brazil 2013 and has not raced in Europe since 2007 when it raced in the Netherlands.
The INDYCAR Series will race outside of North America for the first time since stopping in Sao Paulo, Brazil (pictured) in 2013. (Getty Images)
The Formula 1 layout is a 2.894-mile, 14-turn course. It has not been determined if any tweaks will be made to the track for INDYCAR. The length of the race has not been decided either.
“This is a monumental day for our sport,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said in a news release. “We are pleased to be able to take our ultra-competitive brand of wheel-to-wheel racing to Europe and thrilled that we can showcase INDYCAR in Alex Palou’s hometown.”
Barcelona was the only announcement of a new track on Friday for the 2027 schedule. Nashville and Washington, D.C., will not have races next season.
“The arrival of INDYCAR is a major milestone and an exciting challenge for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya,” said track chairman, Pau Relat.
“Bringing one of the most prestigious and spectacular championships in global motorsport to our venue strengthens our international positioning, connects us with new audiences and markets, and reinforces our strategy of diversifying the circuit’s activity through world-class events.”
The agreement with the circuit is a 10-year deal, although there are clauses that could shorten the deal if either side sours on the event.
Miles told me and other reporters on a virtual media availability Friday that the promoters will have to pay for freight — both air and shipping of cars and everything needed for the race — as well as the 900 team crew members and officials who travel for the event (flights and hotels).
Compared to the Freedom 250 where Penske Entertainment Corp. fitted much of the bill as the promoter, this event is a more traditional promoter-INDYCAR event, with the promoter responsible for selling tickets and making the event financially viable.
There will be at least one support series, which is still to be determined.
Miles said he doesn’t view this as the start of the development of a European swing for the series and that the INDYCAR focus in Europe is primarily on the Barcelona race. Any additional international races in future years will likely be in another region. He wouldn’t rule out increasing the schedule from the current 17 races.
“At this moment, our objective is to be here in Europe, in Spain, and stay here — focus on making this the great event that we know it can be,” Miles said. “We’ve never been in a hurry about this. We want to look for great opportunities, but I think for a while we’re going to be very focused on Barcelona.
“That doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be another region or so in the world where we might add something. But fundamentally, we’ll be North American. We’ll have a landing pad in Europe, and if another one develops outside of Europe, then fine.”
Whether INDYCAR adds an exemption for a 26th car for a Spaniard in addition to Palou to race is being considered, INDYCAR President Doug Boles said.
In addition to looking at additional international events, INDYCAR also considers it a major priority to increase the number of ovals. Without Nashville, there are now just five races at four oval venues.
“Ovals that would like to have an NTT INDYCAR Series race, there are plenty of those,” Boles said. “The question really becomes, how can we go into a market where the attendance will make it feel like an event?
“That’s really important to us to get into that. Where do we have a promoter that doesn’t just want us, but is willing to promote alongside us and really be that lead in that community to help drive the attendance is an important piece of that?
