New country ‘set to host TWO F1 races as shock five-year deal on verge of being reached’

A THIRD country could be set to play host to multiple Formula One races.

Shock reports in Spain suggest there could be grand prix held in both Madrid AND Barcelona.

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Barcelona are in talks to extend their stay with F1[/caption]

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The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar since 1991[/caption]

The USA currently play host to THREE F1 grand prix races; The Circuit of the Americas in Texas, Miami Street Circuit and the most new Las Vegas Strip Circuit.

Meanwhile Italy host two, with Imola and Monza staging races.

No other country hosts more than one, but that could be about to change according to Mundo Deportivo.

In January, F1 announced they had signed a ten-year deal to bring the Spanish Grand Prix to Madrid from 2026 until 2035.

The announcement left Spain’s current F1 host, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, fearing it could leave the calendar.

Its contract to host races expires after they host in 2025, meaning there is just one more year before it leaves the calendar.

But a fresh development may see the circuit stay pm the calendar for around for five more years.

Barcelona are reported to be in negotiations to achieve a “long-term” agreement and are now “very close” to agreeing terms.

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Barcelona City Council are said to have committed to a “save F1” project with Mayor Jaume Collboni to “do everything necessary” to ensure its continuation.

The Spanish GP has been hosted in Barcelona since 1991, and an extension to 2031 would see it get up to the 40-year mark as part of the F1 diary.

The most recent agreement was signed in 2021 in exchange for a modernisation plan of the facility that will, when all it said and done, cost an estimated £42.8million.

Part of this came with the old chicane of Turns 14 and 15 removed for a sweeping right hand corner to improve the racing experience.

F1 chief Stefano Domenicali has left the door open to the possibility of two races in Spain.

When F1 unveiled the Madrid circuit, Domenicali said: “Barcelona is Formula 1 and work is being done to look beyond.”

This year’s race in Barcelona will commence on June 23.

Max Verstappen has won the last two races, with Lewis Hamilton winning there five times in a row before that.

 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year  

F1’s newest track

The Madrid circuit will be built around the IFEMA exhibition

The new IFEMA Madrid track will mix street and non-street sections into a 5.47km circuit with 20 corners.

It will be located near Barajas airport and next to Real Madrid‘s training base Ciudad in the suburb of Valdebebas and built around the Ifema exhibition centre.

A premium paddock building with a new race tower, office spaces, VIP hospitality and entertainment areas will also be present.

The venue itself will have more than 110,000 fans per day across its grandstands, general admission and VIP hospitality sections.

There are also plans to increase the capacity to 140,000 per day, making Madrid one of the largest venues on the F1 calendar.

Meanwhile, in line with F1’s aims, the track is also committed to reaching “Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and plans to be the most sustainable event of the season”.

All buildings will use renewable energy and any temporary structure will be made of recyclable materials.