Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Montmeló)- The 2017 sports calendar of Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is filled with mythic events and novelties that will make all fans of motor sports happy. This year again, the Circuit will be host to three world championship rounds, namely Formula 1, MotoGP and RallyCross, in addition to being the exclusive venue of the Formula 1 preseason tests. Among the most outstanding novelties there is also the inclusion of the Electric GT (18 November) in the calendar, the change of the date for the Barcelona RX (1 and 2 April) and the return of Spirit of Montjüic (8 and 9 April).
The FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2017, fifth round of the FIA Formula One World Championship will be staged from 12 to 14 May. On that weekend, fans will also be able to enjoy the GP2 Series, the GP3 Series and the Porsche Supercup. Only a few weeks later, from 9 to 11 June, there will be the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya de MotoGP™. Riders like Marc Márquez, Jorge Lorenzo, Valentino Rossi or Maverick Viñales will match-up against each other on the Catalan racetrack. The races of the Moto2™ and Moto3™ classes, which are references in the world of motor sports as well, will also be staged on that weekend.
Another significant event on the 2017 sports calendar are the Formula One Test Days, to be staged from 27 February to 2 March and from 7 to 10 March. This year, the Circuit will be once again exclusive host to the F1 preseason, thus becoming an international benchmark.
The races at the Circuit will start with the V de V Endurance Series, to be staged on 18 and 19 March. The weekend programme of this French Championship that has become a classic on the Circuit’s calendar will be filled with races that will thrill spectators and all fans of motor sports.
April will be a month with a lot of activity in the Circuit. The Barcelona FIA World Rallycross, which was staged in September in the last two years, will move to April, on 1 and 2 to be precise, as the opening round of the season. The combination of a tarmac and gravel layout and the frenetic rhythm of the races have turned the Rallycross championship into one of the fastest growing competitions in recent years with a significant future forecast. After a one-year break, the Spirit of Montjüic will be back at the Circuit on 8 and 9 April. Fans will be able to enjoy the different races of the event and a large variety of activities on the Paddock to spend a great family weekend. Last but not least, on 22 and 23 April there will be the second edition of the Bicircuit Festival, a sports event for bicycle fans, who will be able to participate in different race formats, such as the 24 Horas Madform BiCircuit, the Marcha BTT BiCircuit, the Gran Fondo BiCircuit or the Brompton. WC In parallel to the competition, all attendants will be able to enjoy an attractive activity programme related to the world of bicycling aimed at young and old.
After the FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2017, motorcycling will have a major presence at the Circuit. The second edition of the RFME Campeonato de España de la Velocidad will be staged on 27 and 28 May, as preamble to the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya de MotoGP™. The week after the staging of the seventh round of the FIM Motorcycle World Championship, the Circuit will be host to the FIM CEV Repsol International Championship on the weekend of 17 and 18 June, featuring the young talents of motorcycling. The 24 Horas de Catalunya de Motociclismo will be staging their 23rd edition at the Circuit on 7 and 9 June, a mythic endurance event organised by the Circuit. The last motorcycle meeting will take place in the middle of summer, on 23 July, with the Catalan Motorcycling Championships, a platform aimed at the youngest motorcycle riders.
After the summer break, the Circuit will resume activity with the 24 Horas de Barcelona de Automovilismo-Trofeo Fermí Vélez on 2 and 3 September. As a novelty for the 2017 season, the endurance race at the Circuit will be part of the calendar of the 24H Touring Car Endurance Series by Dutch promoter Creventic. The endurance race has gained large prestige and recognition in recent years, gathering teams and drivers from all over the world, at the wheel of spectacular machines.
The intense race programme of the Catalan Car Racing Championships and the Spanish Endurance Championship (CER) will arrive at the Circuit on 17 September. A large number of vehicles and drivers will let spectators enjoy with high quality races.
After the huge success of the first edition, the Speed Festival will be back at the Circuit on 30 September and 1 October. Fans will be able to watch the different GT races of the Blancpain Series and admire the power of the Mercedes AMG, Ferrari, Lamborghini or Bentley machines, in addition to other renowned championships.
The traditional weekend of the International GT Open will take place on 28 and 29 October, with a varied race programme including the Euroformula Open and the TC Open, a new European Championship approved by the FIA, with turbocharged vehicles with a cylinder capacity of up to 2 litres.
And last but not least, the Electric GT Championship, another novelty of this season, will be the closing event of the 2017 sports calendar. On 18 November this new championship will be showing that electric vehicles can be fast and sustainable at the same time on the Circuit’s racetrack.
New MotoGP™ track layout
Another significant novelty for 2017 will be the change of the track layout that will be used from now on for the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya de MotoGP™, following the request by the International Motorcycling Federation. The new track configuration will be using the Formula 1 layout at the CaixaBank turn and a new chicane at Turn 13 before the chicane of the Formula 1 layout (see appendix).
This new layout will have a length of 4,652 metres and the respective works will be done in January, in order to have everything ready and set in February, one of the months in which the Circuit’s track will have huge preseason activity.
Carlos Castellà Formula 1 Journalism Award
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya announces the Carlos Castellà Formula 1 Journalism Award in memory of the journalist who dedicated his professional career to the coverage of car racing events, and passed away last May.
With this contest, the Circuit wants to honour Carlos Castellà who became a reference in the world of journalism and car racing in our country, thanks to his many years of experience, his knowledge and his professionalism. Moreover, he was very much appreciated by his colleagues and by motor sport fans, all of whom were deeply saddened by his death.
The contest is open to journalism students, who shall submit a report about the Formula One Test Days 2017. The winner of the contest will be able to enjoy a professional experience during the FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA 2017, a very good chance to live the F1 show and to get to know the working dynamics of motor sport journalists up close.
