2024 Spanish GP: F1 stats, records, facts and figures at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. F1 stats, records, facts and figures in the Formula 1 Spanish GP.

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Facts

Formula 1 transitions from Canada to Spain for another race weekend. “Need to Know” is your comprehensive guide, featuring stats, trivia, and insights.

Barcelona’s circuit feels almost like a second home to many drivers because it’s so familiar. Historically, it’s where teams have spent a lot of time, although this year, it wasn’t used for testing.

The track is known for its fluidity, but it demands a lot from the drivers physically, especially due to the long bends between Turns 3 and 4, and at Turn 9. It’s particularly harsh on the front-left tire, as the abrasive surface of the track leads to higher tire wear. Overtaking can be challenging, with Turn 1 being the primary spot for passing maneuvers. It’s also the most difficult corner. The descent into Turns 4 to 5 features tricky downhill braking that can tempt drivers to brake too late. However, a bit of camber there means you can slightly miss the apex without losing too much time.

The previous final sector was notoriously unenjoyable. Drivers had to manage their tire performance from the first sector right through to the slow, squirming final chicane to complete the lap. However, this changed last year with the removal of the chicane in the final sector, reverting to the layout last seen in 2006.

This modification not only speeds up lap times but also affects how drivers manage tire wear during qualifying since they no longer have to navigate a complicated final section. Additionally, the change is expected to enhance overtaking opportunities and could lead to more time lost in the pit lane, as cars will be approaching at higher speeds.

The Spanish Grand Prix, which dates back over a century, stands as one of the world’s oldest motor races. Originally held frequently at the Circuito Lasarte through the early 20th century, the race was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, resuming in the 1950s at the new Pedralbes circuit. Since 1967, it has been a permanent fixture on the Formula 1 calendar, rotating through various tracks such as Jarama, Jerez, and, since 1991, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, familiar to drivers and teams due to its frequent use for winter testing, almost disappeared from the F1 calendar in 2020. However, a financial boost from local authorities helped ensure its immediate continuation, and in November 2021, a new agreement was signed to keep the race on the Formula 1 calendar until at least 2026.

The 2020 edition of the Spanish Grand Prix, initially set for May, was rescheduled to August due to the coronavirus pandemic and took place without spectators. In 2021, the event still faced restrictions, with only 1,000 fans allowed to witness the race.

Spanish Grand Prix: Interesting Facts

The Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona not only stages Formula 1 races but also hosts the MotoGP’s Catalan Grand Prix, where Spanish racer Jorge Lorenzo has clinched victory five times. Additionally, from 2008 to 2012, Valencia hosted a second Spanish race known as the European Grand Prix. Plans were in place for Valencia to alternate with the Barcelona circuit as the venue for the Spanish Grand Prix starting from 2013, but these plans never came to fruition.

The 2020 edition of the Spanish Grand Prix was historically held in August, marking the first time since its inception in 2013 and the first F1 race in Spain in August since the European Grand Prix in 2009. Lella Lombardi remains the only woman to score in the top six of a Formula 1 World Championship race, earning half a point for her sixth-place finish at the perilous Montjuïc circuit during the curtailed 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.

Rubens Barrichello has the dubious distinction of the most retirements at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, failing to finish the race seven times, just ahead of Kimi Raikkonen. The 1993 Spanish Grand Prix saw a legendary podium with Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher, who collectively won 14 World Championships by the end of their careers, the highest total for any podium trio in history.

Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton are tied for the record of most driver wins at the Catalunya circuit, each with six. Meanwhile, Scuderia Ferrari holds the record for the most team victories at the circuit with eight. Schumacher’s first victory for Ferrari, achieved here in 1996, was notably the last rain-affected Spanish Grand Prix.

Since being added to the Formula 1 calendar in 1991, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has seen only 12 podium finishes by drivers starting lower than fifth on the grid. Furthermore, only three races at this venue have been won by drivers not starting from the front row.