The NTT IndyCar Series have confirmed that they will be heading to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain for the series’ first race outside North America since 2013.
The race is scheduled to take place in July 2027, and with it being the first of a multi-year deal, why will this race be such a milestone moment for the series? Sports News Blitz writer Finley Nelson gives his thoughts.
First European race since 2007
IndyCar’s race at the iconic Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya marks a long-awaited return to Europe for the series, as it last competed on European soil in September 2007 at TT Circuit Assen in the Netherlands.
It was the late Justin Wilson who won that last outing to take his first victory of the Champ Car World Series season, just five months before the series merged with the Indy Racing League to create the IndyCar series we know today.
During the 1990s and 2000s, the CART series (which became CCWS following bankruptcy in 2003) visited European venues on many occasions.
Both Brands Hatch and the now-defunct Rockingham Motor Speedway held races in the early 2000s alongside EuroSpeedway Lausitzring in Germany.
With the circuit hosting many major and feeder series over the years such as Formula 1, World Endurance Championship and European Le-Mans Series, it will serve as a great hub for IndyCar as the series looks to regain its European presence.
Five-time champion on home soil
Since his debut in 2020, Alex Palou has taken the IndyCar world by storm, taking five championships (2021 and 2023-26) and 25 wins in seven seasons.
However, being one of the series’ 14 confirmed international drivers for 2027, the Spaniard hasn’t been able to celebrate this success on home soil until now!
This event will allow the superstar to race in front of his home fans for the first time since 2017 in Formula 2’s inaugural season at Jerez.
Palou’s recent success will surely have played a role in helping the series reach a decision as to which circuit would become IndyCar’s European hub, despite other strategic reasons playing massive roles.
Speaking about Palou during the event’s announcement, Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles said: “We think of him as a living legend in our sport and a bonafide superstar.”
A sign of IndyCar’s growth
Despite IndyCar already being one of America’s biggest motorsport markets, in recent years the series’ popularity has grown massively not just in the United States but also internationally.
As reported by MotorsportWeek, following the series’ broadcasting switch in the US from NBC to Fox, this season the channel has averaged an audience of 1.68 million viewers for each race, which marks the largest viewership figure in nearly two decades.
Additionally, with the growth of digital platforms, IndyCar’s social media and app have also become more used by fans to get the latest information on the series.
Showing that with IndyCar being on the rise each year, there has not been a better time for Penske Entertainment to return IndyCar to venues outside of North America.
Mark Miles spoke about the series’ growth during the race’s announcement, saying: “IndyCar’s growth has been spectacular in recent years and our competition has been the best in the world.”
European fans rejoice!
As a European, despite the tickets for races being much cheaper compared to Formula 1, the cost of travelling may have stopped fans from making the trip to America to attend an IndyCar race.
Therefore, the series’ return to Europe gives international fans a much more accessible and affordable way to visit the circuit and be able to watch a race in person.
Alongside this, with Alex Palou not being the only European driver on the 27-car grid, fans of other drivers such as Rinus VeeKay and Felix Rosenqvist will have an option closer to home to see their drivers up close.
With fans being such a key reason for increasing IndyCar’s presence on the motorsport map, the event will also help to bring new audiences to the series, which will benefit the series as it heads into a new generation with the IR-28.
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Fresh challenge for the teams and drivers
Although over half of the 2027 grid have driven around Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in the past, the track will present a new challenge for the whole paddock.
Teams will have very limited data, with IndyCar having never raced at the track before, but some will have drivers' past experiences to rely on.
Most notably, Marcus Ericsson and Mick Schumacher raced there during their time in Formula 1, whilst drivers such as Josef Newgarden, Christian Lundgaard and Conor Daly competed at the circuit in junior series such as GP2, F2 and F3.
Drivers will only get one outing at the circuit in the current generation of cars, before the IR-28 is introduced for 2028.
However, with the IndyCar chassis and regulations being unique in comparison to other racing series, every driver will be starting afresh when they take to the track next July.
As Mark Miles said, “please circle Sunday 18 July next year on your calendar”, as the NTT IndyCar Series heads to Spain for a historic moment in the series’ history and their first European race since 2007.
It will be an event not to be missed!
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