[Official] Spanish Grand Prix 2019: Grand Prix Weekend Thread

[Born Racer]

The Spanish Grand Prix heralds Formula 1's arrival in its original homeland of Europe. Despite the proliferation of many new tracks in recent years from around the globe, the continent is still vital to the sport, as the teams are based there and so are vast numbers of dedicated supporters. Moreover, with updates starting to be introduced on the cars, there is also the sense that after the initial flyaways, the teams are now going to have a true sense of where they're at. And in a series now with highly limited testing, arriving at an aero-critical track like the Circuit de Barcelona provides a good barometer for success. Added to that, with four rounds gone, the teams know for their championship aspirations that it is no longer the start of the season and there can be little more time lost. For teams with unfulfilled potential like Ferrari, that is particularly so.

Barcelona is also a track that the teams know inside out, as it is where the bulk of the testing is done. For this reason, it tends to produce Noah's Ark grids – with the teams lining their cars up two by two on the grid because the team can easier extract the maximum out of both cars than at some circuits. Since 1991, the Spanish Grand Prix has been held here, located a little outside the Catalonian city. Although Formula 1 didn't get a foothold in the general public's imagination for a long time, the success of Fernando Alonso changed that. Carlos Sainz's presence in the McLaren team allows the country some chance of maintaining the sport's relevance to the Spanish public. Despite this, however, this Grand Prix is under threat, and may be gone next year.

Grand Prix racing actually has a long history in Spain. The first Grand Prix to bear the name was in 1913, although it was run to touring car rules on a road circuit in Guadarrama, near Madrid. It was won by the official importer of Rolls-Royces, Carlos de Salamanca. He drove his 7.4 litre Rolls-Royce at an average speed of 76.4km/h over 3 laps of the 90.5km track.

A 2-kilometre steeply-banked oval was later built at Sitges-Terramar, near Barcelona, and the 1923 Spanish Grand Prix was held there. I have walked around this track and it is a sight to behold and extremely difficult to climb up the banking, such is its gradient (a maximum of 60 degrees). Albert Divo won in his Sunbeam from Louis Zborowoski in his Miller at an average speed of 156km/h after a wheel-to-wheel battle.

Financial difficulties at Sitges meant that the Spanish Grand Prix moved to a track called Lasarte near San Sebastián in 1926. A Grand Prix had been run at Lasarte since 1923, known as the San Sebastian Grand Prix, which ran there until 1930. There were years where a Spanish Grand Prix and San Sebastian Grand Prix took place.

The first Lasarte race to be known as the Spanish Grand Prix was, however, in 1926 and held to Formula Libre rules. The sporting manager of Bugatti, Bartolomeo Costantini, took victory in his 2-litre car after 40 laps of the 17.315km circuit. Joint 3rd-placed driver Robert Benoist won the following year in his Delage 15-S-8 in a time 15 minutes quicker than the winning time of 1926. The race formed part of the AIACR World Manufacturers' Championship.

For the next two years, the Spanish Grand Prix was run to sportscar regulations. Monegasque Louis Chiron took the spoils in 1928 and 1929 in a Bugatti T35C and T35B respectively (just 15 laps in 1928 and back to 40 in 1929). The 1930 race was cancelled following the Wall Street Crash. Races were scheduled in the coming years, but cancelled due to political and economic issues. In 1933, a Spanish Grand Prix took place at Lasarte, held over 30 laps, which was won by Chiron, this time in an Alfa Romeo B. 1934 victor Luigi Fagioli took half an hour off Chiron's race-winning time, in his Mercedes-Benz W25A. Mercedes-Benz W25B filled the first three places in 1935, after which civil war put paid to Lasarte's Grands Prix for good.

Grand Prix racing returned to Spain in 1936 in the form of the Penya Rhyn Grand Prix in Montjuïc, in Barcelona. The Penya Rhyn race next took place in 1946 at Pedralbes, also in Barcelona, in 1946, after which it was held there in 1946, 1948, 1950 and 1954. The next Spanish Grand Prix, though, was in 1951 at Pedralbes. It was part of the Formula 1 World Championship and played host to the final round. Alfa Romeo driver Juan Manuel Fangio led Ferrari's Alberto Ascari by two points going into the race. Ascari qualified on pole, but suffered tyre problems and after pitting various times, Fangio comfortably won the race by almost a minute and his first title.

F1 returned to Pedralbes in 1954 with Mike Hawthorn winning for Ferrari ahead of the Maserati of Luigi Musso and the Mercedes of Juan Manuel Fangio, who had already claimed the title. This was to be the final Spanish Grand Prix until Jarama in 1967, held as a non-championship race before getting approval for Formula 1. The Lotus-Fords of Jim Clark and Graham Hill came home around a minute in front of Jack Brabham's Brabham-Repco. The following year, Jarama was back, now in the championship, in the aftermath of Jim Clark's death. Colin Chapman did not attend, but Graham Hill won, after pole man Chris Amon retired his Ferrari from the lead on Lap 58 with a fuel pump failure.

1969 saw the Spanish Grand Prix move to a new street circuit in Barcelona, Montjuïc. It was the final time high wings were seen. Both Lotus drivers Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt experienced accidents when their wing supports failed. As with the previous year, Chris Amon led, holding a big margin to the next car, until his engine seized on Lap 56. Matra's Jackie Stewart won by 2 laps, the only time an F1 driver has taken victory from the runner-up by 2 laps other than Damon Hill in Adelaide in 1995.

The following year, the Grand Prix moved back to Jarama, starting to alternate with Montjuïc until 1976, at which point it remained at the Madrid-based circuit until 1981. They were two highly contrasting circuits, Jarama tight and twisting and Montjuïc fast and open. There was outcry when the Grand Prix organisers limited the field to 16 cars during the weekend. After reversing their decision, the Commission Sportive Internationale then forced the organisers to go back to 16 starters. Jackie Stewart won in his March-Ford, while Mario Andretti got his first F1 podium also in a March-Ford. Jackie Oliver and Jacky Ickx had a firey accident on Lap 1. In 1971, Stewart again won, in his Tyrrell-Ford, after starting 4th and slick tyres were introduced here. Emerson Fittipaldi won from 3rd and them from 7th in 1972 and 1973. Niki Lauda took his first win in Jarama in 1974, driving for Ferrari and leading home team-mate Clay Regazzoni, the only 2 drivers to finish on the lead lap in the wet race. The race ended six short of the scheduled number of laps at the 2-hour mark.

In 1975, Rolf Stommelen crashed his Hill in Montjuïc when his rear wing broke and he went into barriers which, it is suspected, had possibly not been bolted together properly. The drivers had protested before the race about the lack of properly fixed barriers and had threatened to boycott the race; Emerson Fittipaldi did so, retiring after one lap. This was also the race to see the only woman thus far get into the points-paying positions, with Lella Lombardi getting half a point for sixth after only half points were awarded for the stopped race. Jochen Mass took the only F1 win of his career after only 29 laps. It was to be the last race there.

In 1976, James Hunt won, but his McLaren was disqualified when it was found to be too wide. The victory was awarded to Niki Lauda, but the McLaren driver got the win back 2 months later when he won an appeal in which the team had protested that it only exceeded the maximum width when the tyres were hot and had expanded. Mario Andretti took his first win in a Lotus-Ford the next year and led Ronnie Peterson home in a Lotus 1-2 in 1978, while Patrick Tambay won for Ligier-Ford in 1979.

Due to the FISA-FOCA war, non-FOCA teams Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Renault did not compete the following year and retrospectively, the race lost its world championship status that season. Alan Jones won for Williams, followed home by Jochen Mass in his Arrows. In 1981, Jarama held its last race and Gilles Villeneuve's Ferrari led home Jacques Lafitte's Ligier by 0.22 seconds in the one of the closest finishes in F1 history. In fact, the top five of the aforementioned, plus John Watson, Carlos Reutemann and Elio de Angelis were covered by just 1.24 seconds.

After an absence of four years, the Spanish Grand Prix moved to the sherry-producing town of Jerez in AndalucÃ*a in 1986. Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell were involved in a tight battle at the end of the race, in which the Brazilian emerged ahead at by just 0.014 seconds in his Lotus. The Spanish Grand Prix stayed there until 1990, the year in which Martin Donnelly was involved in a horrific accident in practice, which tore his Lotus apart.

Jerez did go on to host the European Grand Prix in 1994 and 1997. In 1991, the race moved to the Circuit de Catalunya. Williams dominated the early years here, although in 1994, it was Michael Schumacher in his Benetton who impressed, after finishing second despite being stuck in fifth gear for a significant proportion of the race.

From 2008 to 2012, Valencia hosted the European Grand Prix. The track, which was on a layout which used the redeveloped marina area and some purpose-built track, did not seem to produce races, though. Despite once being touted for a Spanish Grand Prix race share with the Circuit de Catalunya, it was dropped. Like Sitges, the purpose-built track is now abandoned apart from the parts by the marina and near the beach, which form access roads in the area and despite it being just a few years since the last race was run, it is strange to already see the scruffy, derelict vestiges of a part of Formula 1 history.

Although the Circuit de Catalunya does not usually produce the most exciting overtaking battles of the seasons, due to its heavily aero-dependent layout, in its long history as host of the Spanish Grand Prix, it has inevitably had some surprises in store. In 2001, race leader Mika Hakkinen ground to a halt on the last lap, with Michael Schumacher cruising by to win. In 2012, Pastor Maldonado shocked everyone by holding it together from pole, making no mistakes and winning the race for Williams, the team's last win to date.

In 2016, Nico Rosberg overtook team-mate Lewis Hamilton off the start, but Nico then didn't select the right engine mode and coming out of Turn 3, Hamilton attempted to overtake. They both collided and went out and Max Verstappen, in his first race for Red Bull having been swapped with Daniil Kvyat, who was shipped to Toro Rosso, took a sensational first Grand Prix win, aged just 18.

Last year, Lewis Hamilton led Valtteri Bottas home to take Mercedes's first 1-2 of the 2018 season, while Verstappen was 3rd.

What are your memories of the Spanish Grand Prix?

Trivia and statistics

Michael Schumacher has the most wins in the Spanish Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton has taken 3 wins at the Spanish Grand Prix, and of the other current drivers, Vettel and Verstappen have won 1 and Räikkönen 2.

Räikkönen has retired here 6 times.

The last rain-affected Spanish Grand Prix was in 1996.

Only 11 podium finishes since 1991 have come from drivers starting lower than 5th on the grid.

89% of the Grands Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya have been won from the front row, the highest percentage of any circuit which has held at least 10 races.

Between 2007 and 2016, 10 different drivers won the Grand Prix.

The track

Despite the lack of wheel-to-wheel action, the track has a decent enough flow, though, and it is therefore a pity that the mightily quick final corner, slightly reminiscent of Monza's Parabolica, was been removed and turned into a slow corner that follows a chicane.

A lot of the Barcelona lap is spent in a varied range of corners and going up and down the changing topography. Hitting around 330kph in qualifying at the end of the start-finish straight, the first corner is a right-hander which quickly leads into the brief left-hand Turn 2, before immediately going into Turn 3 while going up a slight gradient and then down again. The apex of this long corner is quite early and drivers tend to hug it for a while before letting the car drift quickly to the left of the track as it flattens out and they are now ready for the right-hander of Turn 4.

Again, the apex is reasonably early but the corner continues for a while and heads downhill. After the left-hander of Turn 5, a short straight I with a left-hand kink s followed by a left whose exit already puts you in the apex for Turn 7. Turn 8 is just a slight right bend, but Turn 9 is exciting, Drivers can point it into the right-hander with very little braking.

After a short straight with DRS activation, they go into quite a slow left-hander, followed by another quicker left-hander. This is followed immediately by the long Turn 12. Drivers can go into this right-hander which starts to go uphill and let it drift out just a little to keep the speed before getting it in tight again. As they go downhill, the next right-hander can have a lot of speed carried into it, then they need to get over to the right to get a wide line into the chicane at turns 14 and 15. Turn 16 is the right-hander that leads onto the start-finish straight and is, of course, not as quick or exciting as it was. The final chicane breaks the rhythm of the circuit, although at least to its credit, you could say that it provides a different challenge from the rest of the circuit as the drivers attack the kerbs, a little like the Bus Stop at Spa. There is DRS activation on the start-finish straight again.

Other information

To join in our predictions competition and Fantasy F1 contest, go here: https://tentenths.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=70

Constructors’ championship standings: https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2019/team.html

Drivers’ championship standings: https://www.formula1.com/en/results....9/drivers.html

Spanish*Grand*Prix*tyre selections: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...0DZt67sQG.html

Circuit length: 4.655
Number of laps: 66
Race distance: 307.104km
First Grand Prix: 1913
First World Championship*Grand*Prix: 1951
First World Championship*Grand*Prix*at this circuit: 1991

Dry weather tyre compounds: Hard, Medium and Soft
DRS Detection Zone 1: Between Turns 8 and 9
DRS Activation Zone 1: On straight between Turns 9 and 10
DRS Detection Zone 2: Shortly after Turn 15
DRS Activation Zone 2: On start-finish straight
Speed trap: Near end of start-finish straight
Lap Record: 1:18.441– Daniel Ricciardo – Red Bull-Renault (2018)

[E.B]

Great intro as usual BR. Many thanks for your trouble and time

[Born Racer]

You're welcome. It can take quite a few early mornings, but I particularly enjoy looking into the older Grands Prix. For Monaco, I'm going to use the book I have by David Hodges on that race for some information. It charts the history from 1923 to 1963.

[Mike Bell]

Yes, thanks again for the intro, Born Racer!

As C4 is showing highlights Saturday and Sunday eve, viewing will not get in the way of other weekend chores and stuff......

[djinvicta]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

You're welcome. It can take quite a few early mornings, but I particularly enjoy looking into the older Grands Prix. For Monaco, I'm going to use the book I have by David Hodges on that race for some information. It charts the history from 1923 to 1963.

Wow! Look forward to Monaco, and as always, thanks BR for your time every GP. Cheers..

[bjohnsonsmith]

Excellent intro as ever.

Hopefully, this will be an interesting and intriguing race, what with the upgrades. As for the drivers, can Bottas maintain his advantage over Lewis, or could there be a repeat of 2016?

This is only the 5th round but Ferrari need to start upping their game, if Vettel wants a crack at the title. Maybe those upgrades can do the trick.

[ApexTurtle]

The thing I hope for is Bottas getting pole and winning. To me that's the only thing that can make this season interesting since Mercedes is just in a league of their own.

[wolfhound]

Thanks BR for all your good work.
Interesting that Mercedes seem to have turned the tables on Ferrari since testing or were they sandbagging in the pre season tests.

[chunterer]

Just want to add...
New Red Bull Junior Pat'O Ward is Mexican, not American Croft you numpty.
Oh and people please don't give anymore fame to the sky f1 'cricket'
Awful...

[Anyopenroad]

FP3 hasn't even started yet and I'm already tired of hearing about tyres.

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Yes, thanks again for the intro, Born Racer!

As C4 is showing highlights Saturday and Sunday eve, viewing will not get in the way of other weekend chores and stuff......

Yes, I know that weekend feeling too, Mike.

[ApexTurtle]

Originally Posted by ApexTurtle

The thing I hope for is Bottas getting pole and winning. To me that's the only thing that can make this season interesting since Mercedes is just in a league of their own.

So far so good! What a lap by Bottas again!

[Akrapovic]

Bottas was supreme. Partially helped by someone depositing gravel and slowing down everyones second runs, but his first run was so far ahead of everyone else it was almost embarrassing.

Leclerc needs to stop with the silly mistakes. He's young, but Ferrari already has a fast and mistake-prone driver. It doesn't need two.

[ApexTurtle]

It's fine, it's not like Leclerc is fighting for a championship or anything. He'll come good I'm sure. The hype has died a bit now, he can get his head down and get on with the job

[chillibowl]

Great lap from VB. And while he was dropping that lap on his team mate, his team mate was slightly struggling. Only hindsight can tell if this session will be described as a turning point in the championship.

Renault still (un)surprisingly nowhere after their upgrade.

[Lancsbreaker]

Really delighted to find that the cable feed we have in our apartment where we are in Tenerife has a sky channel that carries the F1.......tho I might stillfind a bar showing it tomorrow for the "inclusive" experience ;


Superb performance from Valteri

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats to Bottas.

If they aren't already, Mercedes are potentially going to be in a Dilemma. A lot hinges on the result of tomorrow's race.

[F1Pete]

Leclerc in a Ferrari.
He's just not ready.
He's not as advertised.

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[Adam43]

Originally Posted by F1Pete

Leclerc in a Ferrari.
He's just not ready.
He's not as advertised.

Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

0.3s behind Vettel. Not good enough?

[ApexTurtle]

4-1 in the qualifying battle at Ferrari so far.

[F1Pete]

Originally Posted by Adam43

0.3s behind Vettel. Not good enough?

It's good enough. Just razzin. I was just expecting him to be on top with all the hype.

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[Adam43]

Yep, Vettel has the upper hand. Who’d have thought?!

0.3s was the gap between Seb and Kimi last year too.

[Aysedasi]

It'll be interesting to see what tactics the Ferrari management use to make sure he stays behind Vettel tomorrow.....

[ApexTurtle]

Why do you think they would need to?

[Adam43]

It doesn’t surprise me that he makes mistakes and that Vettel is ahead. It won’t surprise me if Leclerc pushes Vettel tomorrow either.