Spain GP talks to take place after race

May 11 - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya boss Joan Fontsere says he hopes talks will lead to a new contract for the Spanish grand prix.

In recent days, circuit officials and F1 chief executive Chase Carey have indicated a new deal beyond 2019 is in the works.

Talks will begin after Sunday's race.

"At the moment we are focused on everything going well this weekend," Fontsere is quoted by El Pais newspaper.

"We have the grand prix guaranteed until 2019, and once this race is over, we will continue talking with Liberty."

He said the environment for this round of negotiations is very different compared to when the last contract was agreed.

"Fernando Alonso had just won his titles, we were competing with Valencia and we also had pressure from a project in Madrid," said Fontsere.

Meanwhile, F1 chief executive Carey played down any impact the political situation regarding the Catalonia region will have on the talks.

"We are aware of what is happening," he said. "But things are complicated in every part of the world. There are 21 countries and 21 problems.

"Barcelona is a very valuable partnership for us."

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Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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