Race dates and the first European round

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Montmeló will host the IndyCar Grand Prix of Barcelona from 16 to 18 July 2027, with the first race on 18 July, the circuit said in a statement issued on Friday, 23 October 2026. The event brings the series back to Europe for the first time since 2007, when it raced at Assen in the Netherlands. It will also be the series' first race outside North America since 2013. The announcement was presented at the circuit by Generalitat de Catalunya president Salvador Illa, together with Pau Relat, chair of the board of Fira de Barcelona and Fira Circuit, and Mark Miles, president and chief executive of Penske Entertainment, which owns the IndyCar Series. Miquel Sàmper, the Catalan councillor for business and work, also took part.

“This agreement represents a great step and an exciting challenge for the Circuit.”

Deal length and how it came together

IndyCar has not confirmed how long the race will stay at Montmeló. ABC reported unofficially that the contract runs for at least ten years, while El Confidencial describes a ten-year agreement between Fira Circuit and Penske Entertainment, backed by the Generalitat. Der Tagesspiegel, citing the series' own announcement, says the deal runs over several years. Bloomberg reports that talks began about five months before the announcement, when the circuit approached IndyCar about partnering on a race. Penske Entertainment's chief executive Mark Miles called it a momentous day for the sport, according to ABC.

Palou's home debut

Alex Palou, a five-time IndyCar champion from Barcelona, was honoured during the presentation and is widely seen as central to the deal. ABC reports that he won the 2025 Indianapolis 500 and races for Chip Ganassi Racing, and that he is 29 years old. After an unsuccessful attempt to move into Formula 1, he has become one of the series' leading figures. Speaking about the race, Palou said:

“It's an incredible opportunity, and it means a great deal to me to race at home, in Barcelona.”

Schedule and the Formula 1 gap

The race weekend runs from 16 to 18 July 2027, and ABC says the Montmeló layout will test the endurance of teams and drivers. Formula 1 will not race in Barcelona in 2027 and returns in 2028 in a rotation with Spa-Francorchamps, according to Der Tagesspiegel. ABC notes that Montmeló has lost exclusivity over the Spanish Grand Prix and will now host Formula 1 every two years. Mick Schumacher, 27, will race for Meyer Shank Racing in 2027, his second US season, after leaving Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Der Tagesspiegel reports.