Spain’s Formula One race hosts have finally agreed to annually alternate a single grand prix date.
Spanish sports newspapers Marca and Diario Sport said the respective organisers and supporting governments of the Barcelona and Valencia races have now agreed that the country should host only one grand prix per year. Presidents Artur Mas (Catalonia) and Alberto Fabra (Valencia) have agreed the arrangement should remain in place through 2019.
But they must now await the “approval” of F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who has previously said that an alternating scheme is the best solution for the calendar and for crisis-struck Spain.
Marca said the idea is that Barcelona will host the Spanish grand prix in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, with Valencia’s street circuit returning to the calendar in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
A clause in Valencia’s existing contract, for the annual European grand prix, allows the race to be called the Spanish grand prix if Barcelona is not hosting F1 on the same calendar.
Source:GMM
