Madrid growing in confidence of securing F1 slot: ‘I know when we are going to sign’

The president of Ifema, the Madrid location which has played host to the F1 Exhibition, has claimed the city is nearing a deal to host a grand prix there in future.

José Vicente de los Mozos, president of Ifema’s Executive Committee, revealed that discussions have been taking place for a street race around the Spanish capital, and he sure that a contract signing will be coming soon.

The proposed layout would see Ifema, the large convention and trade centre in Madrid, used as a potential base for the teams and the paddock, and De los Mozos claimed there is “mutual trust” with Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali about a Madrid Grand Prix coming to the fore.

Madrid organisers confident in securing F1 status

Speaking to the Europa Press about the possibility of joining the calendar, De los Mozos explained that he believes a contract is there to be signed with Formula 1, claiming: “I know when we are going to sign it and when we are going to do it”, though he did not allude to further details.

The Spanish Grand Prix currently takes place in Barcelona and has done so since 1991, and on the prospect of there being a second Spanish race on the calendar, he added: “If in the end there are two, I’m delighted, but I speak and work for Madrid.”

Domenicali himself has not committed to the idea of two races in Spain however, and while he has confirmed Madrid has staked a claim to be a part of Formula 1, the sport’s chief executive recently said it would be as a rival to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, rather than the two cities appearing in tandem.

“It is true that Madrid wants to host the race in the future, and no decision has been taken so far,” Domenicali told the Beyond the Grid podcast last month.

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“That’s another great sign of the state of the health of Formula 1, and this is it: The right competition, that will not involve at all any political discussion – only commercial and technical and sporting discussion will be taking the next in the next couple of months.

“And for the best of Formula 1, we will take the right decision, I’m sure about it.

“But we need to remember that we still have years of [a contract] with Barcelona, and we are really very happy in the way that Barcelona is handling the future. Because of course this has helped them to react to push for the improvement that is needed, up to the level everywhere. So, this is the situation.”

And when pressed whether two races in Spain would appear on the calendar at the same time, he added: “I think no. But I think that in Europe, even in the future, I’m expecting to see races where the rotational principle could be applied, but not two in the same year.”

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