Formula 1 Spain Grand Prix

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Important Facts

• The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona. It is home to the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.


• There is a tradition of motor racing in Catalonia which started back in 1908 with the first Copa Catalunya held on a 17-mile track made up of public roads which was called the Baix Penedes circuit.


• Sitges was to be the location of the first attempt in Spain to build a permanent circuit; it was a 1 1/4-mile high-banked but irregular oval at Sitges-Terramar. It took 10 months to build and was opened on October 28, 1923, hosting the second Spanish Grand Prix - 10 years after the first had taken place at Guadarrama.


• It was not until October 1986 an organization in Catalunya voted to build an international standard racing circuit in the Barcelona area. Work began in February 1989 and was finished just days before the F1 trucks rolled into the circuit in September 1991. F1 teams were very impressed. The track was both safe and spectacular and proof that new F1 circuits did not have to be dull.


• The Circuit de Catalunya was built in 1991 and is often referred to as 'Barcelona' in the motor racing community. The Circuit de Catalunya should not be confused with the Montjuïc circuit, which also hosted the Spanish Grand Prix in four different occasions between 1969 and 1975.


• Formula 1 drivers and mechanics are extremely familiar with it since they are accustomed to perform periodical testing. This has led to some criticism that drivers and mechanics are too familiar with the track reducing the amount of action.


• The Spanish circuit is often criticized for being bland because it has little elevation change and few exciting corners. Cars are unable to follow each other through the fast final corner due to turbulence created by the leading car, therefore, overtaking is rare. This makes it difficult for a car to get close enough to the car in front of it to attempt a pass at the first turn.


• However, the Spanish circuit has been the site of incredible moments. In the 1991 Spanish Grand Prix Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell went down the entire front straightaway side-by-side while duelling for the lead, with Mansell eventually taking the position and winning the race.


• In the 1994 Spanish Grand Prix Michael Schumacher managed to finish in second place despite he was driving over half the race with only fourth gear. Two years later, in the 1996 Spanish Grand Prix Schumacher took his first win with the Ferrari Team.

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