IndyCar confirms Barcelona debut after F1 calendar shift

Sam Hall

23 Oct 2026 3:03 PM

IndyCar will travel to Spain for the first time in 2027, with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya announced ahead of a full calendar reveal.

IndyCar will travel outside of North America for the first time since 2013.

Barcelona IndyCar debut confirmed

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been a permanent fixture of the F1 calendar since 1991, and hosted the Spanish Grand Prix last in 2025.

However, a deal was struck to keep the track on the calendar, on alternating years, with this year marking the first running of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, as Madrid took over the national title.

This shift is likely to have played a part in the door opening over hosting IndyCar, with the event likely to bridge some of the revenue loss from the fresh F1 arrangement.

It also comes at a time when Spaniard Alex Palou is the dominant force in the championship, recently claiming his fifth title in just six years of competition.

“I’m so excited to be part of IndyCar’s first race in Barcelona,” said Palou.

“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.”

IndyCar’s last foray outside of North America came in 2013, with the Sao Paulo Indy 300 in Brazil.

In previous years as both CART and the Champ Car World Series, the US-based championship has contested numerous rounds outside of North America.

This includes events in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

It will be the first time that IndyCar has raced in Europe since 2007, when Assen in the Netherlands hosted the championship.

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“The arrival of IndyCar is a major milestone and an exciting challenge for the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya,” said Chairman of the Board of Fira de Barcelona and Fira Circuit 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.

“We are working with a long-term vision to make IndyCar Grand Prix of Barcelona a benchmark event on the international racing calendar for years to come.”

Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles added: “This is a monumental day for our sport.

“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.

“We cannot wait to see the NTT INDYCAR SERIES compete at one of the world’s most recognizable motorsports venues set against the backdrop of a very historic and breathtaking international destination like Barcelona.”