Barcelona to Host World Rallycross Race in 2015

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will play host to a round of next year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship it has been announced.

The track, purchase which is home to both the Formula One Grand Prix as well as the MotoGP Grand Prix, ampoule will stage the Barcelona RX race in September 2015.

Built in 1991 the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is based in Montmelo in northern Barcelona and has been used as an F1 track for 24 years.  It was also used as a venue of the 1992 Summer Olympics.  Barcelona will become the second major city to host a round of World RX after Istanbul will stage the Championship’s inaugural city race at the Intercity Istanbul Park this October.

Martin Anayi, Managing Director at World RX for IMG Motorsport, commented: “This is extremely positive news for our Championship.  It’s a new market for us and the organisers in Barcelona have worked extremely hard to help get this project off the ground.  The team are very experienced having previously brought X Games to the city so I have no doubt that the same level of professionalism will be delivered in our Championship. Work will shortly be underway on the new rallycross track and I’m excited by the prospect of a World RX race in one of the world’s major economic and sporting hubs.”

Rob Armstrong, Global Head of Motorsport for IMG, concluded: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work closely with the government in Barcelona to create what I expect will become a permanent fixture in the motorsport calendar. Barcelona is already a mecca for motorsport fans being home to the F1 and MotoGP races and with a population of more than 1.6 million the event in Barcelona is likely to grow into one of our biggest. This latest news also goes to show the true potential of World RX as we are beginning to witness purpose built tracks at some of the world’s most famous motorsport venues.”