Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says that the organisation will announce details “very soon” of plans to rotate European races from as early as 2026.
While the trend has been for flyway races to sign long-term deals, in many cases heading into the 2030s, the contracts of several European events that are running out in 2025 have yet to be extended.
An alternating deal for Spa and Zandvoort has long been mooted. The future of Imola is also unclear, while Barcelona still hopes to secure a race date after Madrid arrives on the schedule in 2026, and could also be part of an alternating package with other races.
“As you know we have Madrid that will be part of the calendar,” said Domenicali of plans for 2026. “We have long-term deals on the other side that are representing the vast majority of our situation today.
“And these allow us, of course, to work with them in order to promote better quality, to make sure that what we want to offer to our customers is to a level of the highest standard.
“In ‘26 and further beyond of course, we have some news to share very, very soon, with regard to the possibility in the mid-term to have some rotational European Grands Prix, and some other new options coming later. And this is something that, of course, will clarify in due course.
“It is true that we have a large demand of even new possible venues that wants to come in, and our choice will be always balanced between, the right economical benefits that we can have as a system, and also to leverage the growth from the market, that we can see potential that will be beneficial for us to grow even further our business.
“So it’s something that we are managing in the right way. And thank God today we have a quality problem to handle, that was not the case just a couple of years ago.”
Domenicali says there are no plans to go beyond the current total of 24 races, despite interest from multiple venues.
“We believe that the balance we have in terms of numbers is the right one, so 24 is the balanced number that we feel is right,” he noted. “And I do believe that all the propositions are coming on our table are just giving us the possibility to make even the better choice for our future.
“So as always, we need to be balanced, knowing that we cannot follow only the pure direct financial proposition, because that is different from region to region, but it’s up to us to propose to our stakeholders the right choice.
“And I think that we are in a good moment to make sure that the strategy for the future is even stronger, and that’s why we are so confident about the fact that this will help to enhance our platform on the sport, on social and business perspectives.”
Domenicali added that there is no urgency to sign a new Concorde Agreement.
“First of all, it’s very important to remember that we have still plenty of time under the existing Concorde, so there is no urgent rush,” he said. “Conversations are progressing very well. And as we’ve said before, very, very positive, because at this moment the ecosystem is very solid.
“And also all the teams and the wider sport have had a huge benefit for everyone in this moment. So the financial security for the future and stability that we have today, it’s underlining in the work we are preparing.
“And as soon as we have everything ready, of course, we will inform everyone. But as always, as I said, we want to do the right thing. And consider there is no rush. Everything is progressing well, as we said, and looking forward to confirm to you when we’re going to announce something concrete.”
Meanwhile Liberty Media boss Greg Maffei is bullish in prospects for the Concorde.
“The most important thing for everybody, including ourselves and the teams, is to get it right,” he said. “And so we’re progressing at a good pace – with the expectation that everyone will sign with glee on their face.”
