Spanish F1 Grand Prix

Spanish F1 Grand Prix Tour Hotel

Spain – Track and Stands

BARCELONA INFO

Barcelona has something to offer everyone, which is why it’s now one of the top tourist destinations in Europe. The narrow, Gothic streets of the old town offer mystique and history, while the modern Eixample district, is full of the latest shops and businesses. In the past three decades the city has gone from strength-to-strength and developed a unique identity within Spain. The Catalan language differentiates the spoken word and the architecture sets the city apart as well.

The narrow, Gothic streets of the old town offer mystique and history, while the modern Eixample district, is full of the latest shops and businesses.

“I am not from Barcelona,” says double world champion Fernando Alonso, “but I like it very much. I like to go to the tapas bars on Las Ramblas, and it’s always good to watch a football game at the Nou Camp, particularly when my team, Real Madrid, are playing FC Barcelona.”

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is situated to the north of the city. Built as part of the development programme for the 1992 Olympic Games, the track was actually finished in time for the 1991 Spanish Grand Prix.
Did you know?

Until 2005, only world champions had ever won at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The man to break the pattern was Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen.

Barcelona’s El Prat de Llobregat airport is 12 kilometres southwest of the city and has connections to all major European destinations. There are trains, buses and taxis connecting the airport and the city. The efficient Metro system provides an easy way for getting around the city centre.

The track is a half-hour drive north of Barcelona. If you’re not driving, you can take the train to Montmelo station, which is a half-hour walk from the circuit.

Alonso-mania has hit Spain, with the result that the track is packed every year. However, to meet demand, the organisers have increased grandstand capacity and split ticket prices into four groups.

For food lovers, no stay in Catalunya is complete until you’ve tried ‘Crema Catalana’, the region’s famous egg-based dessert.

The Picasso Museum is one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions. Its collection of the Spanish artist’s work houses is the most extensive in the country and one of the most notable in the world.

The city boasts many other museums – the Nou Camp’s Football Museum is a must for soccer fans – and for the best sights, start in the ninth century Old Town and walk, looking out for Gaudi’s architecture, the Gothic Monastery in Pedralbes, the Placa de Catalunya, the Olympic Port and Las Ramblas.

Race History

The Formula One teams are no strangers to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (formerly known as the Circuit de Catalunya); not only have they raced there every year since 1991, they also conduct extensive testing at the venue.

Familiarity does not, however, lessen the challenge for car or driver. Barcelona’s mix of high- and low-speed corners, plus its abrasive and rather bumpy track surface, makes for a physically and mechanically taxing race.

Tyre wear is particularly high and the varying winds that cut across the circuit mean an optimum set-up can be hard to find.

For spectators Elf corner is among the best places to watch, as it is one of the track’s few overtaking opportunities. For the drivers it is the final two turns, known collectively as New Holland, which provide one of the biggest challenges of the season. A fast exit is essential in order to maximise speed down the start-finish straight into Elf.

2014 marked the 24th time Barcelona has hosted the Spanish Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher has been the most successful driver at the circuit, with a total of six victories. Among the current drivers, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa have all won there.

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W05 and Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren MP4-29.
Formula One World Championship, Rd5, Spanish Grand Prix, Race, Barcelona, Spain, Sunday 11 May 2014.