A new report has indicated that the NTT IndyCar Series is heading overseas for the first time since the 2013 season.
Videos by FanBuzz
Outlet EL Periodico has reported that Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, is set to announce a multi-year deal with the NTT IndyCar Series in the coming days. The outlet cited multiple sources and said that the first race of this deal will be in July 2027.
This deal, once official, will give the Circuit de Catalunya another prestigious single-seat racing series on the calendar. The track previously inked a multi-year extension with Formula 1 to host a Grand Prix every two seasons through at least 2032.
The IndyCar Series has extensive history competing in international territories. This includes four races on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, between 2010-13. The series also spent several years visiting Twin Ring Motegi Superspeedway in Motegi City, Japan.
However, the past several seasons have featured the top drivers and teams primarily competing in North America.
The decision to take the IndyCar Series to Barcelona, Spain, comes at a fitting time considering the multiple factors in play. First, Fox Corporation acquired a portion of the series while becoming the broadcast partner for 2025 and beyond.
This put all of the races on "big Fox" and set up opportunities to put the racing series in front of an even larger audience. As a result, the 2026 season had an average of 1,681,000 viewers per race, marking a 57% growth over NBC Sports' final season in 2024.
Taking the racing series to Spain would potentially help grow the audience even further while tapping into a different part of the world.
The other — and arguably more important factor — is the reigning champion. Alex Palou hails from Sant Antoni de Vilamajor, located approximately 24 minutes away from the racing circuit, so he has major ties to the area.
Palou is the sport's dominant driver as a member of Chip Ganassi Racing. He has won 25 races for the team since 2021, as well as five championships.
