IndyCar drops Nashville and D.C. for 2027 as Barcelona lands a date
IndyCar will not return to Nashville Superspeedway or stage a second Freedom 250 in Washington, D.C., and has agreed a multi-year deal to race in Barcelona from 18 July 2027.
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O mapa da IndyCar para 2027 está sendo redesenhado: duas praças americanas saem e uma etapa europeia entra. A categoria não voltará ao Nashville Superspeedway, não fará uma segunda edição da Freedom 250 em Washington, D.C., e em vez disso fechou um acordo de vários anos para correr no Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
O oval do Tennessee — 1,33 milha, em forma de D, de concreto — recebe uma etapa desde 2024. Esse arranjo substituiu uma sequência de três anos nas ruas do centro de Nashville sob a bandeira do Music City Grand Prix.
As obras em torno do novo estádio da NFL do Tennessee Titans forçaram a mudança, consumindo a área necessária para paddock, transportadores e áreas de espectadores. Um retorno ao centro parecia provável assim que as obras diminuíssem; o planejamento atual deixa o Volunteer State sem uma etapa que vale pontos na próxima temporada.
A Freedom 250 foi concebida como uma celebração única ao lado do National Mall. Seu circuito temporário de 1,7 milha e sete curvas atraiu mais de 215.000 pessoas em dois dias, e a cobertura em televisão nacional teve média de 3,282 milhões de espectadores — a maior audiência de uma prova da IndyCar fora das 500 Milhas de Indianápolis desde a unificação em 2008. A popularidade nunca foi o obstáculo; a logística era.
A Espanha fornece o contrapeso. O circuito catalão assinou um acordo de vários anos para receber uma etapa a partir do verão de 2027, com 18 de julho marcado a lápis, levando a série ao país natal do pentacampeão Alex Palou.
A confirmação é esperada para sexta-feira, com Palou e o CEO da IndyCar, Mark Miles, presentes, divulgada junto com o restante do calendário da segunda metade da temporada.
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