10 Tenths Grand Prix Preview - Spain

[Super Tourer]

10 Tenths Grand Prix Preview – Spain - Circuit de Catalunya.

9th May 2004.


2003 Result.

1. Michael Schumacher - Ferrari 65 Laps 1:33:46.933

2. Fernando Alonso - Renault 65 Laps +5.7 secs

3. Rubens Barrichello - Ferrari 65 Laps +18.0 secs

4. Juan Pablo Montoya - Williams-BMW 65 Laps +62.0 secs

5. Ralf Schumacher - Williams-BMW 64 Laps +1 Lap

6. Cristiano da Matta - Toyota 64 Laps +1 Lap

7. Mark Webber - Jaguar-Cosworth 64 Laps +1 Lap

8. Ralph Firman - Jordan-Ford 63 +2 Laps

9. Jenson Button - BAR-Honda 63 +2 Laps

10. Nick Heidfeld - Sauber-Petronas 63 +2 Laps

11. Justin Wilson - Minardi-Cosworth 63 +2 Laps

12. Jos Verstappen - Minardi-Cosworth 62 +3 Laps


R Giancarlo Fisichella -Jordan-Ford Engine

R Olivier Panis - Toyota Gearbox

R Heinz-Harald Frentzen Sauber-Petronas Suspension

R David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes Collision

R Jacques Villeneuve BAR-Honda Electrical

R Jarno Trulli Renault Collision

R Antonio Pizzonia Jaguar-Cosworth Launch control

R Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes Collision


Fastest Lap: Rubens Barrichello 1:20.143

Official Result




2003 Grid.

1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:17.762

2 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:18.020

3 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:18.233

4 Jarno Trulli Renault 1:18.615

5 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:18.704

6 Olivier Panis Toyota 1:18.811

7 Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW 1:19.006

8 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.128

9 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW 1:19.377

10 Heinz-Harald Frentzen Sauber-Petronas 1:19.427

11 Jacques Villeneuve BAR-Honda 1:19.563

12 Mark Webber Jaguar-Cosworth 1:19.615

13 Cristiano da Matta Toyota 1:19.623

14 Nick Heidfeld Sauber-Petronas 1:19.646

15 Ralph Firman Jordan-Ford 1:20.215

16 Antonio Pizzonia Jaguar-Cosworth 1:20.308

17 Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan-Ford 1:20.976

18 18 Justin Wilson Minardi-Cosworth 1:22.104

19 19 Jos Verstappen Minardi-Cosworth 1:22.237

20 6 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes








2003 Race Review

Ferrari introduced their new car at this race after an uncharacteristic slow start to the season. The race became a comparison of tyres; Bridgestone’s were inconsistent on a track noted for tyre wear, whilst Michelin shod cars fared better in the conditions.

However in the end Micheal and Ferrari prevailed scoring his 66th victory in the process. The following charge was led by Renault’s Fernando Alonso who converted 3rd on the grid into 2nd on the podium.

McLaren had a day to forget, with Kimi messing up qualifying and starting from the back, which is where he remained at the start after colliding with the back of Pizzonia’s Jaguar when the red lights went out, both cars retiring on the spot. Meanwhile DC tangled with Trulli at the 2nd corner, losing a lot of time. He finally retired when he and Button collided later in the race forcing his retirement – nil points for McLaren.

Da Matta scored his first world championship points for Toyota.

Williams struggled in comparison to the similarly shod Renault’s, a combination of poor qualifying and the wrong strategy call during the safety car period triggered by the DC/Trulli 2nd corner fracas compromised their race. Ralf didn’t help matter by going off later in the race, damaging the car’s cooling, forcing him to nurse it home with an increasingly hot BMW engine.

Ralph Firman scored a point for Jordan.

At the end of the race Kimi still led the championship from Michael Schumacher, the gap significantly closed after Kimi’s no score.

Read a full race review: http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr702.html


Recent winners

2003 – M Schumacher
2002 – M Schumacher
2001 – M Schumacher
2000 – M Hakkinen
1999 – M Hakkinen
1998 – M Hakkinen
1997 – J Villeneuve
1996 – M Schumacher
1995 – M Schumacher – Benetton
1994 – D Hill – Williams
1993 – A Prost - Williams



Spain Flashback

The Circuit de Catalunya eminated out of the disaster that occurred at Montjuich Park in 1975, when Rolf Stommelmens Hill-Ford vaulted the barrier killing four spectators during a race that had already been run under protest after many drivers felt the barriers were too poorly constructed, sadly they proved to be right, the accident marked the end of the circuit as a GP venue, the race moving to Jarama, then Jerez.

In 1986 the Catalan parliament voted in favour of creating a new racing circuit in
Barcelona to bring the Grand Prix back to the region, hence the Circuit de Catalunya was born, although not actually started until 1989 and completed in late 1991, just prior to the 1st Grand Prix to be held there. The circuit set a new standard for safety and facilities.


2001 – Hakkinen had the race in the bag until his car failed on the last lap, handing the race win to Michael Schumacher

2000 – DC drove in much discomfort and emotion after surviving a light plane crash a few days earlier in which his pilot was killed. De la Rosa qualified 9th for his home race, but the fuel in his car was found to be illegal, causing much embarrassment to Repsol despite them not actually supplying fuel for the car, Walkinshaw appealed then withdrew the appeal and Pedro started from the back. Button was on course to score more points for Williams, but his engine failed with a few laps to go

1998 – McLaren dominated with another 1-2. Tyres were in focus again with McLaren’s Bridgestone’s having the edge on Ferrari’s Goodyear’s (remember them!). Rubens bought the Stewart- Ford home in 5th.

1997 – Tyres were key again with Jacques Villeneuve saving the Goodyear’s on his Williams to good effect to score victory. Olivier Panis used his Bridgestones to score a rare 2nd place for Prost, Alesi finishing 3rd in the Benetton – Renault.

1996 – A wet race showed Michael Schumacher to be dominant, winning by 45 seconds and setting a fastest lap more than 2 seconds faster than anyone else. Showing that history repeats itself, a less than classic performance from McLaren produced this quote from one journalist “How does a team with so many talented engineers, such a good engine, such a vast budget and such impressive facilities manage to do so badly when we know the drivers are quick? Answers on a postcard, please, to Ron Dennis, Woking Business Park, Albert Drive, Woking, Surrey or c/o The Fancy Motorhome, Any Paddock, F1.” A quote that apply’s to 2004 surely…