The Formula 1 Grand Prix at Ifema would leave 450 million euros a year in Madrid

A direct and indirect impact of almost

in 10 years.

The figures that

would leave in the Community of Madrid are powerful and attractive for all sectors that work with both discretion and firmness after the objective of holding a race in the city in the coming years.

An audit of the promoters, to which

has had access , estimates that each year the grand prize would leave 450 million euros in the region.

Hotels, restaurants, leisure, transport...

The landing of the great F1 circus, one of the biggest sporting events in the world, would revolutionize Madrid for a week, among visitors, guests, sponsors and the caravan of the teams and organizers of each event.

Thousands of travelers who would leave a lot of wealth in the city.

In fact, it would surpass the other major annual event in the capital, Fitur.

The last international tourism fair, last January, generated 400 million euros directly and indirectly, with the entire city dotted with a meeting that overflowed the IFEMA pavilions.

As EL MUNDO published on June 24, 2021, it is precisely there, in the large Campo de las Naciones facility, where the race would take place, according to the project that is gradually taking shape and that Formula 1 is looking at with great interest. .

The World Cup set its sights on the capital of Spain a long time ago, considering the possibility of returning to a port abandoned since 1981, the year of the last race at the old Jarama circuit.

Main façade of Ifema.EM

The audit on the economic impact, carried out by a highly prestigious consultancy, is key to forming a solid business plan, the basic

that the company promoting the F1 World Cup analyzes in depth before granting its flag to the destinations that aspire to she.

To estimate this impact, an influx of around 120,000 people has been considered, with an average stay of three days, and a percentage of 45% international visitors, 30% from Madrid and 25% from the rest of Spain.

To this is added the influx of personnel linked to the realization of the grand prize, which requires a reservation of 5,000 rooms in three and five-star hotels, at a maximum distance of 30 minutes from the circuit.

Expenditure in the city, without including hotels or transportation, or the cost of the GP access ticket, can be estimated at between 600 euros for the national fan, and 949 euros for the international.

"The main sectors benefiting from the economic impact would be hotels and accommodation, with more than 30%, commerce, restaurants and nightlife, with around 25%, and transport, with 15%," according to the economic report.

These revenues would mean around 0.2% of the GDP of the Community of Madrid, and 0.4% of the GDP of the capital.

Liberty, the North American corporation that owns F1, does not want bad experiences from the past, both in Spain and in other places on the planet, where the stories did not come out and the races failed.

In fact, the ruinous example of Valencia and also the problems of the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona are what repel the F1 organization and also the ideologues of the Madrid GP, who have a premise: zero public

.

Everything would be a private initiative, with two important foreign companies - already with experience and success in F1 - very interested in taking over the organization of the test that would have its heart in

.

The Mad Cool grounds of Ifema, in Valdebebas, where the race is projected. JAVIER BARBANCHO

The more than 40 million euros that it costs to maintain the race in

each season come mostly from the coffers of the Generalitat or the City Council of Barcelona, ​​​​with the sweat that this has entailed in recent years to comply with the payments .

This reason, together with the Catalan political instability, means that the F1 journey may be coming to an end at the Vallés Oriental track.

"They have it very complicated," say reliable sources in the

.

Madrid, in any case, would not snatch the Spanish GP from Barcelona, ​​since it would be a new race with a brand new name: Madrid Grand Prix.

F1 managers do not like their business to be mixed with political wars, so present in the last decade in the Catalan event.

Controversies with the flag, with the anthem, critical statements by the mayoress of Barcelona (

) against the race and an always poorly concealed discomfort of the local authorities with the name of the test (Spanish Grand Prix) have exhausted the patience of F1, which also does not approve of the state of the circuit or its problems in paying the annual fee.

Although even the president of the Generalitat,

, has been involved in trying to save the appointment -with direct calls to the top managers of the F1 World Cup-, his future is seriously in danger.

Of course, Montmeló, by contract, would continue his career until 2025. A date that fits into Madrid's plans, with its promoters looking at

as the start of the adventure.

Before, due to infrastructure issues, it would be almost impossible.

As EL MUNDO reported, part of the route, around Ifema and Valdebebas, would have to be built.

more than a race

In favor of Madrid runs the new interest of the organizers of the World Cup in putting aside the classic concept of racing on traditional circuits to bet on urban or semi-urban events, closer to the cities, with the comfort that this implies and the extra attractions that entails for the fan who buys a ticket.

Turn each Grand Prix into an experience of several days, with concerts, gastronomic offer, incentives for VIP tickets... Everything that the Madrid GP would offer.

Promotional poster for the F1 exhibition to be held at Ifema.

F1 exhibition at Ifema

On March 24, an exhibition on Formula 1 opens at Ifema that will bring trophies, racing cars, projections and personalities linked to the great single-seater show to Madrid.

In Hall 1 and until the month of June, The Exhibition F1 will start its global tour, with the first stop in the capital of Spain.

It will be an immersive experience to get to know the atmosphere of the 'paddock' up close.

The F1 World Championship begins this coming weekend in Bahrain.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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