F1 News: Madrid GP Official Announcement Date revealed as Stefano Domenicali gives Green Light

The battle for Catalonia will be starting on a new front. Perhaps the first sentence came off a bit more dramatic than originally intended. We are talking about the battle to host the future Spanish GP. However, now we are talking in terms of when and not if the Spanish GP will informally be known as the Madrid GP.

A little history lesson, because of various reasons, Catalonia, which includes Barcelona, among other cities, has been fighting for independence from Spain, whose capital is Madrid. This independence movement has had an effect in the sporting world as well, with Barcelona clashing with Madrid on various fronts, most notably being the El Classico. Now the two rival cities are clashing in the world of F1 as well and as reported by Formula Passion, Madrid has won.

Recently, Madrid got a green light from the FIA to build a circuit, with the Circuito del Jarama 20 miles north of Madrid falling out of favor. After the FIA’s approval, the new venue for the Spanish GP has gotten F1’s approval as well.

The report suggests that the presentation event of the Madrid GP will be held on January 23rd. Dignitaries such as President Isabel Diaz Ayuso, Mayor José Luis Martinez Almeida of Madrid’s community, and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali will attend it. By next weekend, we will also know if the new venue will host a race from 2026-2027 onwards in their multi-year contract, although the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya contracted till 2026.

Read More: Amid Talks of Madrid Hosting Spanish GP, Barcelona’s F1 Circuit Proves It’s Worth With Historic Achievement

The venue change will be of major significance for Formula 1 with Barcelona holding the Spanish fort since 1991. Moreover, the circus will have a major impact on the economic front as well in Madrid.

Madrid GP will have a mega economic impact on Spain’s capital city

Madrid’s Community President Isabel Díaz Ayuso had been pushing the F1 agenda in the Madrid Assembly for months. The red tape was the only thing holding her back. However, when she received approval from the FIA, she highlighted the monetary, economic, and employment repercussions of hosting a Grand Prix. She quantified her argument with numbers.

Speaking in the assembly she said, “Formula 1 is great news for Madrid. I don’t know any capital or city in the world that says no to F1. That only happens in Madrid, where the left opposes any initiative, since if it is good for Madrid, it is bad for its interests.”

And made the argument more compelling with some mouth-watering numbers. She added, “F1 is great news because it shows that Madrid is fashionable in the world, a place where investment wants to reach. We estimate that it will mean around 4.5 billion euros for the Madrid economy, it will mean the creation of 8,200 jobs.“

WATCH THIS STORY: Emotional Rafael Nadal Gets a Cheer Up from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz After Roland-Garros Withdrawal

Well her argument clearly worked as the news of the Madrid GP becoming a part of the circus’s calendar is imminent. We now wait to see if the sport will ditch Barcelona sooner or later.