Barcelona denies Spanish grand prix in doubt

The boss of Spanish grand prix venue Circuit de Catalunya has played down reports the event is endangered.

It is reported that Spain’s other F1 host, Valencia, as well as F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, are pushing Barcelona to agree a plan to annually alternate a single race date.

But amid the country’s troubled economic times, Catalunya track boss Salvador Servia said Barcelona remains fully focused on its current race contract.

"Only a disaster - say, an earthquake - is a problem. Forget all the rumours and headlines, we are still working as we were before," he told Vuelta Rapida radio.

Ecclestone warned recently that, with F1’s calendar ever-globalising, there could be only five grands prix remaining in Europe within a few years.

"If there are five then we want to be one of them, and we will fight to be," Servia insisted.

He said Barcelona’s current F1 contract guarantees the Spanish grand prix until 2016.

"We have had no communications, either verbal or written from him (Ecclestone) or his organisation regarding the issues of the rumours and headlines," said Servia.

"We are here, working to fulfil our contract until 2016 and thinking about 2020 as well."