Spanish Grand Prix Tickets

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Spanish Grand Prix Tickets
08 May 2011 | Circuit de Catalunya
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The Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit De Catalunya

Location

The Circuit De Catalunya is located in Montemolo to the north of Barcelona. It is in the 'Catalan' region of Spain that has long been seeking independence from the rest of the country. In 2006 Catalonia was given political autonomy by the Government, and people in the region refuse to describe their language or nationality as 'Spanish'. The region is drenched in history and the origins of Barcelona stretch back over 2000 years. This is evident through much of the architecture that maintains a strong Roman influence. The area is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations which is thanks no doubt to its cosmopolitan nature and the fact that it lies on the Mediterranean coast. The weather is almost always dry and warm.

Circuit Origins

When Barcelona was awarded the 1992 Olympic Games a massive investment was made in infrastructure throughout the region. The Catalans were becoming rather powerful in the country and used the influx of funding to construct the Grand Prix circuit they had wanted for some time. Organisers spent two years building the track and used input from Spanish drivers to design the layout. The first race was held a year before the Olympics but only a few weeks after construction was actually complete.

Description

Catalunya is possibly the most diverse of any circuit and contains every type of corner. This, along with its warm and dry climate, means the track is used regularly for testing. The mix of corners compels engineers to develop a setup that will work well in almost any situation so the fastest car in Spain is usually the fastest overall. The main straight is over a mile long and the rest of the circuit winds over the hills behind the pits. General admission tickets are possibly the best way to watch the action because the grassy mounds provide great views.

Racing History

Since all of the teams use this track for winter testing they are all very familiar with it, and teammates will usually line up alongside each other on the same row of the grid. The car is more important at Barcelona than it is at most circuits so the driver with the fastest machine will often dominate. The race is not made any more exciting by the lack of overtaking opportunities around the circuit.Ã‚Â Tyre wear is very high and in past years it has been an advantage to pit first and fit new tyres rather than stay out on light fuel. Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver at the circuit with six wins and took victory in the only wet race in 1996. Interestingly, Felipe Massa is the only driver to win at Catalunya who hasn't also won the World Championship.

Driving Challenges

Catalunya might not always be exciting to watch but it is thrilling to drive. The ultra fast turn three puts similar loads through the tyres as the (now unused) banking at Indianapolis. It is also one of the few corners in modern F1 where drivers can take several different lines. Turn nine out the back is also very tricky because drivers cannot see the apex or exit of the corner as they turn over a blind crest at 230kph. The teams also face problems with tyre wear and will have to look after their rubber or face dramas before their pitstops. Wind can also be a factor at Catalunya, especially at the top of the hill during the second half of the lap.

What happened in 2009?

Rubens Barrichello felt that he was robbed of victory by his team who placed Jenson Button on a different strategy mid race. Barrichello took the lead on lap one and was dominating the Grand Prix, but had to make an extra pitstop than Button and that dropped him to second behind the Brit. The result sparked controversy over the possible use of team orders at Brawn.

Why Watch?

Even though the racing might not be great the Spanish Grand Prix is a fantastic technical battle. Car setup is extremely important here, as are tyres, so there are more strategic variables for the teams to play with than at other tracks. The run down to the first corner is also one of the longest and most exciting of the season.

Memorable Moments

1991 : Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell raced the full length of the pit straight only two inches apart. Sparks flew from both cars at 300kph as Mansell squeezed ahead.

1994 : Michael Schumacher finished second, despite being stuck in fifth gear most of the race. He adjusted his driving style to accommodate for the broken gearbox.

1996 : Schumacher took his first win for Ferrari in awful conditions, at one point lapping four seconds per lap quicker than his rivals.

2001 : Mika Hakkinen looked set for an easy victory until the final lap when his clutch exploded. The McLaren crawled to a halt just five corners from the chequered flag.