IndyCar to race in Barcelona in 2027 as Nashville and DC are dropped

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Secures July Date

The 2027 calendar features 17 points-paying rounds, down one event from the previous season, as motor.es reported. The shift centers on a multi-year agreement with the Montmeló circuit in Spain, slated for July 18, 2027. The official announcement, featuring Alex Palou and CEO Mark Miles, was scheduled for Friday, October 23.

The European venture revives memories of the championship’s past international excursions, notably the street races held in São Paulo, Brazil, between 2010 and 2013. Unlike past temporary circuits, however, the Montmeló facility is a permanent venue already equipped for top-tier open-wheel racing.

Nashville and Washington D.C. Drop Off the Schedule

Two high-profile American venues featured on recent schedules will not return in 2027. Nashville’s race, which spent its initial three years as a downtown street event before moving to the Nashville Superspeedway as a contingency during stadium construction for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, has been removed after six total seasons. The concrete oval spans 1.33 miles in Lebanon, Tennessee, and has also hosted the NASCAR Cup Series alongside two finales prior to returning to Laguna Seca. Promoters intend to pursue a return to the city streets for 2028, according to motor.es.

Meanwhile, the downtown Washington, D.C. street race—dubbed the Freedom 250—will not return for a second edition, as the inaugural event’s high costs and complex federal permitting made a repeat financially unfeasible without renewed municipal subsidies. The event was driven by Roger Penske with support from President Donald Trump, and it will remain in history as the first motor racing competition among the streets of the National Mall. The temporary 1.7-mile, seven-turn circuit drew over 215,000 spectators across two days, and the FOX broadcast averaged 3.282 million viewers, marking the highest figure for a non-Indianapolis 500 IndyCar event since unification in 2008, yet two places ultimately fall from the calendar.

Full 2027 NTT IndyCar Series Calendar

The 17-race campaign opens in March and concludes in September, featuring five oval events and a mix of permanent road courses and temporary street circuits.

• March 7: St. Petersburg (Street)
• March 13: Phoenix Raceway (Oval)
• March 21: Arlington, Texas (Street)
• April 4: Barber Motorsports Park (Road)
• April 18: Long Beach (Street)
• May 15: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course (Road)
• May 30: 111th Running of the Indianapolis 500 (Oval)
• June 6: Detroit (Street)
• June 13: World Wide Technology Raceway (Oval)
• June 27: Road America (Road)
• July 4: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (Road)
• July 18: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Road)
• August 15: Markham, Ontario (Street)
• August 28: Milwaukee Mile Race 1 (Oval)
• August 29: Milwaukee Mile Race 2 (Oval)
• September 5: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (Road)

Scheduling Conflicts With Global Endurance Classics

As outlined in series announcements, World Wide Technology Raceway and Road America overlap directly with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, respectively. Early-season conflicts prevent IndyCar drivers from competing in the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Nürburgring 24 Hours, locking out crossover entries that occurred in prior years. Specifically, competitors cannot take part in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event at Sebring or the Nürburgring classic, which are organized on the same weekends as the Arlington Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500, respectively.

More on this story: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to Host IndyCar From July 2027 in Multi-Year Deal · IndyCar Signs Ten-Year Deal to Race at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

More on Barcelona: Hansi Flick adjusts Barcelona training and travel schedule · Barcelona and Real Madrid meet at Spotify Camp Nou on October 25