JANUARY 10, 2012

Doubts over both Spanish F1 races

After Valencia, not for the first time, said last week that it was keen to renegotiate its F1 contract with commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone, noises are now coming from Barcelona about the cost of hosting the Spanish GP.

After Valencia, not for the first time, said last week that it was keen to renegotiate its F1 contract with commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone, noises are now coming from Barcelona about the cost of hosting the Spanish GP.

In financially straitened times for Eurozone countries, Andrew Mas-Colell, economic minister for the Catalunya region, told RAC1 radio: "We may reconsider holding Formula 1 and motorcycling grand prix here. It is not clear whether we can do so in the current climate.

"It is not the first thing we will reconsider, but in times like this we have to look line-by-line at what we are spending money on."

The Circuit de Catalunya is understood to have a contract to host the Spanish GP until 2016. That being the case, it could prove highly costly for the Spaniards to break its agreement.

It is possible, however, that Barcelona and Valencia, which currently hosts the European GP in June, may come to an arrangement to host the Spanish GP on alternate years.

Such an arrangement could free up a calendar slot for the French, seeking a return as early as 2013 with a race at Paul Ricard. Another suggestion is that with the Belgian GP struggling financially as well, the French could alternate with Spa, although the thought of visiting the fabulous Ardennes circuit just once every two years would not be popular with the majority of the F1 paddock.

Formula One has gradually shifted from being a European-based series, with new races in Malaysia, China, Bahrain, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Korea and India all within the past dozen years.