Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has indicated that it might be feasible for the sport's calendar to include two world championship rounds in Spain.
In 2026, the sport's longstanding Spanish round in Barcelona is still planned, but it will share the spotlight with a brand-new street circuit event in Madrid.
And while Madrid has already locked in a long-term agreement, Barcelona's current contract, which is set to expire in 2026, has no renewal yet confirmed for the Circuit de Catalunya.
"I was expecting this question," F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali responded with a smile on Wednesday, "but maybe I wasn't expecting it to be the first one."
"We are here to talk about Cantabria, not Catalonia or Madrid," he added.
Indeed, news broke recently that Banco Santander is ending its sponsorship with Ferrari, and Domenicali was in Santander, the capital of Cantabria, to unveil the Spanish bank as the latest global sponsor of Formula 1.
Nevertheless, the Spanish press was more eager to find out if Barcelona could continue hosting a Formula 1 race after 2026.
"We're very happy with what Barcelona has done and what it's doing to try to renew with us in the future," Domenicali replied.
"But we're also very happy with what Madrid brings, because it comes with a proposal for a city."
"It's a good time for Spain from a sporting point of view. And as always in life, competition offers the best result for sport," he added.
A reporter interjected, suggesting that hosting two races in Spain could indeed be a viable option, considering there are discussions about adding a fourth annual race in the United States.
"One more race in the United States is not true," Domenicali countered. "That is clear. Three races in the United States is perfect."
"But as I said before, I am not here to talk about the calendar, but to talk about Santander and the great agreement we have signed. Of course, this is a good sign, because everything can help, but it is not right to put the focus on this today because the focus today is on the great collaboration between F1 and Santander."
"What I would say is that everyone has their job to do so that we can anticipate the calendar of the future," he concluded.
