F1 | Barranquilla GP: did an unsent letter derail everything?

Negotiations between F1 and the Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, Germán Umaña, to host a GP in Barranquilla seem to have stalled, while Madrid is eager to finalize the agreement

For an increasingly global Formula 1 that captures growing interest in the Americas, Colombia also wants to host its Grand Prix. Stefano Domenicali himself has visited Barranquilla several times to discuss the project with Mayor Jaime Pumarej and, above all, oversee the country’s political and economic situation.

A project involving Juan Pablo Montoya, the Barranquilla GP, would have hosted a crowd of 120,000 spectators under the name “Caribbean GP.” However, according to local media, negotiations have hit a snag due to government paralysis, with Madrid now in pole position to formalize the first European night race in at least five years.

Barranquilla GP: Did an unsent letter blow everything up?
On November 24, 2022, just over a year ago, Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism Germán Umaña wrote a letter intended for Stefano Domenicali but was never received by the directly involved party: “With warm regards, I am pleased to express my appreciation for all the efforts that F1 is making so that Colombia can host a Grand Prix in the coming years.”

“Our vision of the country aligns with the transparency and rigor of F1 for this global event, ensuring that entrepreneurs, citizens, and governments promote high standards of transparency, ethics, and strict adherence to the legal system.”

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“We are confident that the city of Barranquilla, the Caribbean region, and the country as a whole share the great challenge of organizing a global event that allows discovering the wonders of our country, its tourism potential, the warmth of the people, and above all, the essence of sustainability and the world ecological reserve that allows us to be the country with the greatest biodiversity in the world.”

“This scenario will allow us to combine the efforts of an F1 Grand Prix with the responsibility that everyone in the world must have in contributing to climate change and, in the case of Colombia, increasing investor interest in projects that will help reduce poverty, generate employment, and achieve the total peace that guarantees us to be a country that sets an example for the world.”

According to Montoya, the agreement “was 95% complete. The signature was missing, and they were ready to sign, but someone messed up something.” That someone could be Umaña, with Madrid now clearly ahead of Colombia.

According to reports from MARCA, the Spanish capital is on the verge of finalizing an agreement based on at least a five-year project, with the circuit set to be located near the IFEMA pavilions and also extending into the Valdebebas area, home to Real Madrid’s training center.

Finally, Hanoi, which was supposed to host the Vietnam GP from 2020 onward but was canceled due to the pandemic, is still in the radar for a possible return to the calendar.