Formula 1 returns to action this weekend for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Motorsport Week previews the event.
History
The Spanish Grand Prix can trace its history back to 1913 and in World Championship terms it is one of the longest running events.
Spain first joined the calendar with a pair of races around the Pedralbes district of Barcelona in the 1950s, and from 1967 to 1981 was shared between the permanent Jarama circuit, near Madrid, and a street track that navigated its way around the hilly Montjuic suburb of Barcelona.
Following a brief absence, the newly-built Jerez track held a handful of races from 1986 through 1990 but since 1991 the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been Formula 1’s home.
Only Silverstone, Monza and the Hungaroring have a longer concurrent spell on the calendar than the circuit that was built in the run-up to the Summer Olympics that rejuvenated Barcelona.
The track, located close to the town of Montmelo – on the northern fringes of Barcelona’s reach – has also emerged as the sport’s preferred pre-season testing venue in recent years.
Spain’s presence in Formula 1 has also extended to staging the European Grand Prix at Jerez (in 1997) and at the Valencia street circuit (from 2008 to 2012).
Circuit
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya tests various components of a Formula 1 car through its mixture of low-, medium- and high-speed corners, heavy braking zones, kerbs and straights.

The lap begins with a heavy braking zone and a medium-speed flowing right-left sequence that immediately opens out into the long right-hander through Turn 3.
A long-radius 180-degree right-hander at Turn 4 quickly leads into the plunging downhill left-hander at Turn 5, before a short burst of power through the Turn 6 kink, into the Turn 7/8 right-left complex.
Turn 9 – also known as Campsa – is the circuit’s standout corner, a flat-out medium-radius right-hand bend, the challenge heightened by the slight off-camber and uphill nature of the turn that can easily suck a driver to the outside – or the run-off – and exploit any weakness in a car’s aerodynamic potential, or if a driver has a lack of confidence with their package.
The final sector is fiddlier – none more so than the final chicane, introduced in 2007, from where strong traction exiting the corner is vital in order to carry speed all the way to Turn 1.
“It’s three quite different sectors, each with some fast and flowing corners,” says home representative Carlos Sainz Jr.
“The tarmac is new this year all around the track and this makes it even more interesting.”
What happened in 2017?
Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel went head-to-head as they vied for supremacy, their respective Mercedes and Ferrari teams opting for different strategies.
Vettel completed a stunning pass on off-strategy Valtteri Bottas but ultimately lost out to his primary Mercedes rival, whose push for victory was assisted by a fortuitous Virtual Safety Car deployment.
Daniel Ricciardo completed the podium positions while Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen were eliminated in a Turn 1 clash that also involved Bottas, who later exited amid engine woes.

Hamilton’s victory was his second at the Chinese Grand Prix – he was also victorious in 2014 – and drew him level with Kimi Raikkonen (2005, 2008) and Fernando Alonso (2006, 2013).
Home hero Alonso also won on Spanish soil upon Valencia’s final flourish in 2012, while his 2013 triumph at Barcelona remains his most recent victory in Formula 1.
Alonso nevertheless returned to the top step of the podium in a major series for the first time since 2013 last weekend as he triumphed in the WEC season-opener at Spa-Francorchamps.
Of the current field, Vettel and Verstappen have one win apiece. The Ferrari driver claimed honours in 2011, and the Dutchman stunned the field by taking the chequered flag on his Red Bull debut two years ago.
Michael Schumacher remains the standout driver in the Spanish Grand Prix history books – he has six wins, while no other competitor has stood atop the podium more than three times.
In terms of qualifying, Hamilton has taken pole position three times (2014, 2016, 2017) and also set the fastest time for McLaren in 2012, only to be excluded post-session.
Alonso (2006) and Raikkonen (2008) have also started from pole position at the event – but one striking absence is that of Vettel.
Despite taking 53 pole positions in his career he has never done so at the Spanish Grand Prix, though did claim three one-lap top spots at Valencia.
Other details
Tyre supplier Pirelli has nominated the Supersoft (red), Soft (yellow) and Medium (white) tyres for this weekend’s event.
Either the Soft or Medium tyres must be run for one stint of the 66-lap Grand Prix, should dry conditions prevail.

There will be two DRS zones, one located along the pit straight and the other on the back straight between Turns 9 and 10.
Derek Warwick will act as the Driver Steward.
Formula 2 will hold its third of 12 scheduled rounds this season, with the races scheduled for Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. McLaren-backed Carlin driver Lando Norris holds a 14-point lead in the standings.
Alongside Formula 2 will be the GP3 Series and the Porsche Supercup; both series’ championships will kick off this weekend.
Formula 1 will also prolong its stint in Spain with two days of post-race testing scheduled at the circuit next Tuesday and Wednesday (May 15/16).
A combination of F1 racers and up-and-coming youngsters will carry out the test running for teams, with some squads running two cars as part of Pirelli’s tyre testing programme.
Weather forecast:
Friday: Sunny, 21°c
Saturday: Cloudy with a risk of showers, 17°c
Sunday: Sunny with a risk of showers, 18°c
Timetable: (GMT+2)
Friday 11 May
FP1: 11:00 – 12:30
FP2: 15:00 – 16:30
Saturday 12 May
FP3: 12:00 – 13:00
Qualifying: 15:00 – 16:00
Sunday 13 May
Race: 15:10 (66 laps or two hours)
Check the race times in any timezone with out Formula 1 calendar.
What next?
Monaco will host the sixth round of the season from May 24 to 27