Formula 1 News: Spanish Grand Prix Preview – Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Awaits
The thrilling Canadian Grand Prix has set the tone for an electrifying 2024 season, and now Formula 1 heads to Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for race 10. The Spanish Grand Prix marks the start of the triple header, with Austria and the British Grand Prix to follow.
Formula 1 History at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Formula One first visited Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 1991, when the circuit was built for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. This iconic track is also the home race for Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, and one that drivers love, having spent many years of winter testing here.
Latest Formula 1 News
Since the 2026 regulations were revealed last time out in Montreal, the attention has turned towards how these will affect F1 in the new era. The FIA has adjusted the minimum age for F1, paving the way for Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli to make his debut before his 18th birthday later this summer.
Sticking with the driver market, there are a number of drivers yet to secure drives for 2025, including Sainz, who is rumored to have had discussions with Sauber and Williams, but his future has not yet been determined. Stay tuned for updates from ESPN reporters Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson across the weekend.
Circuit Stats & History
The first race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 1991 provided one of its most iconic battles as Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna fought for second place early in the race. With sparks flying from the underside of the cars, Mansell passed Senna into Turn One, only for Senna to regain the position in the pits and lose it again when he spun a few laps later. Mansell went on to win the race with another daring overtake on Gerhard Berger at Turn One.
Michael Schumacher’s first victory with Ferrari came at a soaking wet Spanish Grand Prix in 1996. In a car that was a long way off the pace of the dominant Williams in the dry, he mastered the conditions to pick his way through the field from sixth at the start and win by over 45 seconds.
The fierce rivalry between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton came to a head at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix when the Mercedes teammates collided on the opening lap at Turn Four. The two drivers blamed each other while the team blamed them both, adding to tensions already building within Mercedes during one of its most dominant periods in F1. Max Verstappen took advantage of the situation and won the race on his debut for Red Bull.
Track Details
- Laps: 66 laps of 4.6km. Total distance – 307km.
- Lap record: 1:16.330 – Max Verstappen (2023)
- Most wins: Hamilton and Schumacher are tied on six wins at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Of the remaining current grid, Verstappen has three (2016, 2022, 2023), Alonso has two (2006, 2013).
- Most poles: Schumacher has seven (1994-1995, 2000-2004), while Hamilton is one behind on six (2014, 2016-2018, 2020-2021). Of the remaining current grid, Verstappen (2023), Alonso (2006), Charles Leclerc (2022), Valtteri Bottas (2019), all have one.
What Happened Last Year
A routine victory for Verstappen came as no surprise as the Dutch driver notched up his 40th career win after leading every lap. There was a glimmer of hope for Mercedes, which filled second and third place on the podium following a recent upgrade to its car, but it proved to be a false dawn in the team’s development programme and, ultimately, its high point of the season.
Ferrari struggled, with Sainz dropping from second on the grid to fifth at the finish and Leclerc qualifying 19th and failing to feature in the top ten in the race.
Who’s Going to Win?
A return to a purpose-built race track with high-speed corners should favor championship leaders Red Bull, making Verstappen the driver to beat in Spain. The limitations of the RB20’s suspension have been exposed over kerbs and bumps at recent rounds, but the layout of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya should play to its strengths in fast corners.
The relative performance of the Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes should give a good indication of how competitive the second half of the season will be among the top teams.
How to Watch the GP
Watch on ESPNEWS and ESPN+ (U.S. only). Live broadcast coverage in the U.K. is on Sky Sports F1, and BBC Radio 5 Live, with Sunday’s highlights on Channel 4. For news, analysis, and updates, follow the coverage with ESPN’s F1 team Nate Saunders and Laurence Edmondson in Barcelona.
Schedule
Friday, June 21
- Free practice one – 12:30-13:30 BST / 13:30-14:30 CEST (Central European summer time)
- Free practice two – 16:00-17:00 BST / 17:00-18:00 CEST
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