Servia Pushes For Race To Be Known As Barcelona Grand Prix

Salvador Servia

Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya Dir General Salvador Servia (father of Oriol Servia) said that he would like for the Spanish F1 Grand Prix to be called the Barcelona GP because the "commercial success of the track has a lot to do with its association with the Catalan capital," according to the EFE.

Servia: "Clearly, the Barcelona brand sells more than the Spain brand. When we say that we would like to call ourselves the Barcelona GP, it is because of our current commercial success, and if we have a crowd on Sunday it is because we sell throughout the world and the Barcelona brand facilitates this for us." Servia added that "the city's iconic aspects have been associated for years with the reputation of the event."

For this year's race weekend, which starts on Friday, 60% of the crowd will come from outside Spain.

Servia: "We have near the track some 5 million residents, but it costs money to attract people. What is important is that 100,000 people come, like last year, and generate an economic impact, which in 2013 was 135 million euro." EFE