IndyCar pondering ‘special guest’ driver concept for Barcelona race

With a new race to hold in Spain and a number of famous Spanish race car drivers to potentially invite to take part in next July’s inaugural IndyCar Grand Prix of Barcelona, series president Doug Boles says he and IndyCar CEO Mark Miles are pondering the idea of adding a special guest entry for the event to raise interest at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

“It’s an interesting question, and it’s one that I think all of us, maybe not Alex Palou, but Mark [Miles] and a handful of us on the IndyCar side have heard this morning is, ‘Are you going to look at bringing that celebrity driver to help those communities out?’” Boles said.

Through IndyCar’s charter doctrine, only the 25 entries with charters are allowed to compete outside of the Indy 500. It means one of the 25 full-time drivers would need to step aside for a guest or the series would need to make a special exception for a 26th car to take part in the event.

“Right now we are planning on being 25 cars at every race next year, with the exception of the Indianapolis 500, where we have our 33 and whoever else comes in to try and make the field there. But it is definitely something that’s been raised on our radar,” Boles said. “It does present some challenges, but it’s certainly something to think about as we continue to roll towards the middle of July in 2027.”

Asked who he’d want to see in the field as guest driver, Spain’s five-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou extended a public invitation to his countryman and two-time Formula 1 world champion by the name of Fernando Alonso.

“100 percent I would nominate Fernando,” Palou said with a big smile. “He has done the Indy 500. He would be a great fit, and he’s available that weekend. So here’s my invitation for him to come.”