Aragón admits that bringing Formula 1 to Motorland is impossible: “It’s a different league, like the NBA

In a new parliamentary session with the delicate continuity of the MotoGP Grand Prix at Motorland beyond 2026 being the focus of the debate in the chamber, the spokesperson for the Aragonese Party, Alberto Izquierdo, has insisted to the Minister of Environment and Tourism and also president of Motorland, Manuel Blasco, to be “ambitious” and take a step forward so that, in the event of losing MotoGP, he can bring Formula 1 closer to Alcañiz.

“We can aspire to achieve things that others don’t dare to. Circumstances are complicated with MotoGP, and 
we must take a step forward, being brave and ambitious. When one door closes, a window opens ,” said Izquierdo, who had already raised this possibility in passing during Thursday’s parliamentary session.

IT IS NOT REALISTIC

Manuel Blasco, who had called him extremely optimistic , slammed the door on this possibility, whose resource requirements are unattainable for Bajo Aragón. ” I don’t see it. We have to talk about what is real and possible. It’s not realistic to ask for Formula 1 for Alcañiz ,” he responded.

According to the president of Motorland, the MotoGP fee is currently around €8 million , which would have to be increased to over €12 million (and up to €16 million) if the championship is to continue from 2027. However, the entry fee for the Grand Circus has soared to €31 million. “I’ve spoken with Carmelo Ezpeleta about this matter and he tells us not to think about Formula 1; it’s a different league, it’s like the NBA, and it’s not realistic,” he added.

At the same time, Blasco has ruled out this possibility, explaining that while the hotel and infrastructure requirements for MotoGP are already demanding, they are even more so for Formula 1. “Alcañiz and Bajo Aragón are not designed for this. We don’t have hotels for MotoGP, and people who go to Formula 1 are looking for five-star hotels. This isn’t a lack of ambition; it’s about talking about what’s realistic and possible,” the industry representative concluded.

JOAQUIN MORENO, “DEEPLY CONCERNED”

The deputy for Aragón- Teruel Existe, Joaquín Moreno, also inquired about the future of the Bajo Aragón route . He expressed his “great concern” about the situation surrounding the negotiations and demanded more funding, improved “negotiating skills,” and the support of the Government of Aragón and the Government of Spain to successfully bring this crucial issue to a successful conclusion.

Along these lines, he emphasized the need to promote the construction of the A-68 and improve the capacity of the railway line, thus linking Samper de Calanda with Motorland and Alcañiz. “A decisive commitment is needed, and it cannot be that last year the concession of up to 16 million euros was announced for the Nueva Romareda circuit, while we have doubts or are rethinking the decision for the Alcañiz circuit. We need certainty,” Moreno commented.

Blasco responded and reiterated his statements from the previous day, where he asserted that the Aragon regional government’s intention to fund the Alcañiz GP cannot be questioned. ” I can confirm that we are interested. We told Dorna this. And not via WhatsApp. I spoke by phone and met in Madrid with the top executive. We are going to fight tooth and nail. If we hadn’t been interested, and hadn’t invested in resurfacing last year, there would no longer be any Grand Prix events,” the Motorland president argued, also responding to accusations from the Parliament by Socialist Ángel Peralta this Thursday.

THEY ASK FOR SUPPORT FOR MINISTER ALEGRÍA

Regarding the need for all necessary support for the continuation of MotoGP (the Government of Aragon and the Government of Spain), something he also emphasized this Thursday, he invited the new general secretary of the PSOE Aragón, Pilar Alegría, to collaborate in the financing.

“We recently learned that Pedro Sánchez has allocated two million euros to the budget to fund the Catalan GP. I have no doubt that the new leadership of the PSOE in Aragon, which also includes the Minister of Sports, will call me to say they’re going to fund the GP with us,” Blasco said, sparking applause from his group. “The phone’s already ringing,” joked PP MP Juan Carlos Gracia Suso, former mayor of Alcañiz from 2011 to 2019, from behind him.