Rallycross returns to Spain after a quarter of a century, as Barcelona will be added to the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar for 2015.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will play host to a round of next year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy. The track, which is home to both the Formula One Grand Prix as well as the MotoGP Grand Prix, 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.
Built in 1991 the circuit is based in Montmelo in northern Barcelona and has been used as an F1 track for 24 years. © Wikipedia/ERC24
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.”
Rallycross will return to Spain where three ERC rounds have been run in the late 1980s at the Circuit de Sils near Barcelona. © EL/ERC24
The three ERC events at the rural Sils venue offered a lot of spectacular Group B era action back then. © EL/ERC24
World RX is head to head, short sharp racing around mixed surface (dirt and tarmac) contained within amphitheatre venues. High profile drivers in high performance compact vehicles are equipped with cars accelerating from 0-60mph in less than 2 seconds. These incredible machines drag race from the green lights, tackle jumps and ruts, effortlessly drift around corners while over a combination of mixed surfaces. RX is the ultimate motorsport battle.
The Barcelona round of World RX will be organised by IMG together with Seven Marketing and Mila Events, companies with experience in organising international major events such as X Games Barcelona, Barcelona Snowboard FIS World Cup, FIM Motocross World Championship Spain and corporate events including Quiksilver Tony Hawk European Tour, Red Bull Skate Arcade International Final and Desigual Night Run. More details about the Barcelona World RX round will be revealed at a special press conference due to be held in Barcelona later this year.
Top photo: The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will play host to a round of the 2015 WorldRX series. © Wikipedia/ERC24