For the 33rd year in a row, Formula 1 in Barcelona will return to Circuit de Barcelona–Catalunya from 21st – 23rd June. After an exciting race in Monaco preceding the Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona is ready for an eventful weekend. With some drivers securing season bests in recent races, the podium is shifting, leaving room for some upsets on the track. From avid F1 fans to people new to F1 looking for some thrilling competition, Grand Prix of Barcelona will have something for everyone.
Formula 1 in Barcelona
Grand Prix of Barcelona: the track
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which is located near Montmeló, opened on September 10, 1991. The Catalan Government, the Royal Automobile Club of Catalonia, and the Montmeló Town Council spearheaded the project.
Only five days after its debut, the track held its inaugural race. It was the inaugural round of the Spanish Touring Car Championship, with the first Formula Grand Prix following a few weeks later on September 29. The MotoGP Grand Prix was added to the Circuit’s sports program the following season. Since then, the Circuit has hosted the Spanish F1 Grand Prix and the Catalan MotoGP Grand Prix every year without fail, two of the most prestigious motorsport championships, which are currently joined by the FIA Rallycross World Championship.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has established itself as one of the top permanent racetracks in the world, as well as a one-of-a-kind location for any type of event or experience, thanks to the high quality of its services and the diversity of its amenities. It also provides various highly appealing tourism choices due to its excellent position in Montmeló, just a few kilometres from Barcelona.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya also offers a variety of racetrack experiences, including track days, Ferrari driving, guided tours, BiCircuit cycling laps, and many other activities in Montmeló.
Agenda race 2024
Formula 1 in Barcelona will take place in early June, with the race weekend commencing on 21st June. The official Grand Prix will take place on 23rd June at 15:00 local time. Below you’ll find an overview of the 2024 lineup:
21st June: Practice 1
13:30 – 14:30
21st June: Practice 2
17:00 – 18:00
22nd June: Practice 3
12:30 – 13:30
22nd June: Qualifying
16:00 – 17:00
23rd June: Race
15:00
How to get there
The circuit is 32 km away from Barcelona city. Circuit- Catalunya can be reached by car, bus, train and even the express train AVE.
Travel by car
By car, you can take the C-17 road (exit Montmeló), or the AP-7 highway (exits 13, 14 and 15. The exits 14 and 15 connect to the C-17 road).
Travel by bus
For the bus you can take line Line 416 Montornès - Montmeló - Granollers - La Garriga, Line 375 Montmeló - Parets del Vallès - Montornès - Montmeló our Line 370 Parets del Vallès - Montmeló - Montornès - Parets del Vallès.
Renfe - Commuter trains
Line R2 Castelldefels - Granollers Centre Line R2 Nord Aeroport - Maçanet Massanes. The train stops at the Montmeló station.
AVE
With an AVE ticket you get a free ticket for the commuter train (Cercanías) on departure and on arrival, including the connection service to the El Prat T2 and Barajas T4 airport stations. The train goes from Figueres Vilafant - Girona - Barcelona Sants.
This year's Formula 1 activities in Barcelona
Fan Village in Plaça Catalunya
Celebrations for the F1 weekend will kick off on 15th June at the Formula 1 Fan Festival. This event consists of a Fan Village in Plaça Catalunya and will feature F1 cars on display, a mock-up of the inside of the pits, a podium and a trophy, as well as activities such as a pit-stop simulation, official F1 merchandising stalls and much more! There will also be a big screen with entertainment, activities and live coverage of qualifying. The village will also be hosting concerts in the evenings.
Formula 1 Live Barcelona Road Show
During the afternoon of 19th June, a select few current F1 drivers will be driving their cars down Passeig de Gràcia, infront of some of Barcelona’s most iconic architecture. When the Road Show ends, the drivers will be on stage at the Fans Forum.
History of Formula 1 in Barcelona
Formula 1 in Barcelona dates back to the 1951 races and the 1954 races which took place at the Circuit of Pedralbes. The races were not held in Barcelona again until 1969. This time around, the races were held throughout Montjuïc. The Montjuïc track was a very fast and challenging racetrack that some drivers preferred.
The races continued at Montjuic for a few more consecutive years until German driver Rolf Stommelen got into a serious accident due to the high speeds of the race cars on Montjuic. Because of this, the Formula 1 in Barcelona was paused until 1991. In the 1991 race, the race was switched to its current arena, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The F1 in Barcelona has been proudly held there ever since then.
How it all started
The F 1 races first came about in the 1930s, during the interwar years in Europe. However, the race was put on hold due to World War II and was rekindled in 1946. The FIA established a set of rules in hopes of creating a championship for race car drivers which eventually became what we know today, the Formula 1 races. Eventually, in 1950 the first F1 race was held in Silverstone, England.
Although the first F1 race was held in England, F1 cannot be traced back to one singular European country, as countries from all over Europe participated in the race. Racing in Europe has been popular since the early 1800s and still maintains its popularity to this day. Over time, many other countries outside of Europe have joined the F1 races, making it an incredibly popular worldwide event.
Since 1950, the F1 races have continued to grow and evolve, incorporating more safety rules and technological advancements. Some of the technological advancements include increased speeds of cars and updated motors. In addition, race cars have been updated and redesigned to allow racers to be able to escape the car during fatal crashes. This has significantly lowered the amount of deaths and accidents from F1 races.
Economical impact
The Formula 1 in Barcelona has brought in approximately 163 million euros in revenue and created around 2,700 jobs within the tourism, transport, automotive and leisure industries in Spain. But, the races have also allowed the regions of Spain to go into debt which has subsequently has resulted in Spain raising its taxes. Catalunya has collected one of the highest amounts of F1 related debt among all of the regions of Spain, with a debt of about 65 billion euros.
Formula 1 in Madrid
Madrid will join the Formula 1 international calendar by hosting the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 to 2035, which will be held on the circuit designed at the IFEMA MADRID exhibition centre. The new circuit will be 5.47 kilometres long, including 20 bends, and the cars are expected to reach an average speed of 213 km/h during the qualifying lap.
The infrastructures will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and security, communication and air conditioning systems, raising the standards of the experience for drivers and spectators. Regarding capacity, it is estimated to start with 110,000 spectators, growing to over 140,000 in the fifth year.
Future of Formula 1 in Barelona
While the future of Formula 1 in Barcelona is still unknown, we mustn’t rule out that there could potentially be 2 Spanish races in the calendar. “For the avoidance of doubt… the fact we are in Madrid is not excluding the fact we could stay in Barcelona for the future,” Domenicali was quoted as saying on F1’s official website.
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