The Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and the Circuit de Catalunya meet in 'Moments Estel·lars'

Barcelona has experienced a weekend of high sporting intensity. On Sunday morning, the Zurich Marató Barcelona was held and, in the evening, the Camp Nou was completely filled thanks to the match between Barça and Real Madrid. 55% of the 15,000 runners who participated in the race were international, showing the enormous showcase that sporting events represent for making the city known to the world. Much more overwhelming is the potential audience of millions of spectators offered by El Clásico, which continues to be one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

With the 1992 Olympic Games, which marked a before and after for the city, Barcelona confirmed that it is vital to be part of the international calendar of the sports world, as these types of events, in addition to benefiting grassroots sports and stimulating new vocations, generate a significant economic impact, contribute decisively to the projection of the city's brand, and attract a very qualitative visitor profile that fills hotels, shops, and restaurants.

The celebration of the America's Cup in 2024 will once again place Barcelona at the top of the podium of this important global industry, in which the city also participates with fully consolidated events such as the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell – Trofeo Conde de Godó, the F1 Grand Prix, or the MotoGP World Championship, which are held annually at the Real Club de Tenis de Barcelona (RCTB) and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, respectively.

To evaluate the impact that these competitions have on the Catalan capital and to know the expectations for the 70th edition of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell and the F1 Grand Prix to be held in June, we have invited Xavier Pujol, CEO of Godó, and Josep Lluís Santamaría, General Director of Circuit Barcelona-Catalunya, to the next session of The New Barcelona – Moments Estel·lars.

Sponsored by Banco Sabadell and organized in collaboration with CASA SEAT, Must Media Group and Barcelona Global, the conversation between Pujol and Santamaria will be moderated by journalist and UPF-BSM professor Toni Aira and will take place on Monday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the CASA SEAT auditorium. To attend as an audience member and also be able to ask questions to the speakers, it is necessary to reserve a place in advance. To get a ticket, click here.

The next edition of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell-Trofeo Conde de Godó will be held from April 15 to 23, with the participation of four of the current main stars of the tennis world: Rafa Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. According to the RCTB, a very special edition is being prepared to celebrate the tournament's 70th anniversary, and to learn all the details of the event, what better than to interview its CEO, Xavier Pujol.

Born in Barcelona in 1962, with a Law degree from the University of Navarra and trained at IESE, Pujol is also the financial vice-president of the Real Club de Tenis de Barcelona, roles he combines with his business responsibilities, as he is at the head of the automotive components group Ficosa Internacional. With a legacy of more than 70 years of innovation, Ficosa ---whose main shareholder is Panasonic--- operates in 18 countries across three continents with 19 factories, 15 technical and commercial centers, and a Research and Technology Center, with around 1,000 engineers worldwide, and a workforce of approximately 10,000 employees. Currently, more than 90% of Ficosa's revenues come from outside Spain.

For his part, Josep Lluís Santamaria (Barcelona, 1965), a great motor enthusiast, holds a degree in Geological Sciences and has directed the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since 2020. He has developed his professional career in the construction and engineering sector and has also been closely linked to motorsport. Thus, he has worked at the companies PaymaCotas and TPF Getinsa Euroestudios and has more than 30 years of experience as a motorsport official, having been race director for various national and international events. Before taking office, he had been the deputy director of the F1 Grand Prix between 2012 and 2020, making him deeply knowledgeable about this competition. Santamaria is also deputy director of the MotoGP Grand Prix, vice-president of the Federació Catalana d'Automobilisme, and president of the Col·legi d'Oficials d'Automobilisme de Catalunya.

The Spanish F1 Grand Prix will be held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on June 2, 3, and 4. Each edition is estimated to generate an economic impact of over 200 million euros. Last October, the Circuit presented a new strategic plan aimed at making it more sustainable, both environmentally and economically, with a clear commitment to innovation and digitalization, so that it becomes a key infrastructure for the country's industry. To modernize and adapt the Circuit to new needs, an investment plan of nearly 30 million euros has been designed until 2024.