Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix could switch venues in 2021 with officials in Jerez in discussions to bring the championship back to the circuit.
Formula 1 has held its Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since 1991 but the event’s future was in doubt earlier this year due to its contract expiring at the end of 2019.
However it was handed a lifeline as organisers reached a one-year extension with Formula 1 owners Liberty Media to hold another grand prix in May 2020.
Spanish media reported on Monday that the Circuito de Jerez is seeking a three-year deal to take over as the host venue of the country’s grand prix from 2021 through 2023.
The Mayor of Jerez, Mamen Sánchez, confirmed that “we have been working on the return to Jerez of Formula 1 for years.
“We will continue to [approach] this matter with confidentiality, so we ask [other] administrations and companies [the same], especially for the good of the project.”
Jerez, which is a Grade 1 circuit, hosted the Spanish Grand Prix from 1986 through 1990, and made a one-off return in 1997 under the European Grand Prix banner.
The circuit remained connected to Formula 1 as a popular test venue though official pre-season running has not taken place there since 2015, with Barcelona since favoured.
More recently it played host to a standalone round of the Formula 2 and GP3 championship in 2017, at which Charles Leclerc and George Russell clinched the respective titles.
MotoGP’s Spanish Grand Prix has taken place at Jerez annually since 1989.
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