The NTT IndyCar Series will make a historic debut in Spain during the 2027 season, with a brand-new race announced in Barcelona.
With the unstoppable dominance of five-time IndyCar Champion Alex Palou, an international race in his home country has been rumored in recent months.
Now, championship organizers have confirmed that the inaugural IndyCar Grand Prix of Barcelona will take place in July next year, to be held on the renowned Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya road course.
It represents the first time the IndyCar Series has held a race outside of North America since 2013, when James Hinchcliffe won on the streets of São Paulo in Brazil.
Even more pertinently, the event will mark a return to Europe for the single-seater championship after two decades.
The pre-merger Champ Car World Series was the last to race on the other side of the Atlantic, with a 2007 event at the TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands.
Bringing IndyCar back to European audiences
“This is a monumental day for our sport,” said Mark Miles, President and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corporation when announcing the news.
“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.
“We have seen Alex’s remarkable skill and talent for several years and know his fans in Spain have been clamoring to watch him race in person”, added Miles.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will be familiar to Formula One fans, having held the Spanish Grand Prix from 1991 to 2026.
However, the circuit’s latest agreement with the Formula One administration means it will only host F1 races on even-numbered years, alternating with the Belgian Grand Prix.
As a result, the Spanish circuit, located around 20 miles from the center of Barcelona, was in a prime position to stage a race in Alex Palou’s hometown, signing a decade-long deal with IndyCar.
Palou already aiming for a home win
Palou was born in the Catalan village of Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, which lies just 20 minutes away by car from Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Following the announcement of the new race, the Spanish driver said: “I’m so excited to be part of IndyCar’s first race in Barcelona.
“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.
“We’re going to try hard with the team at Chip Ganassi Racing to bring home the trophy in July.”
Given Palou’s dominance on traditional road courses in recent years, victory in Catalunya would seem highly likely.
The inaugural IndyCar Grand Prix of Barcelona will be held on Sunday, July 18 2027. A complete schedule, and list of support races, will be announced in due course.
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