2013 Formula One Spanish Grand Prix

Status
Not open for further replies.

RaceDepartment

Administrator
Staff
Round five of the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship sees the teams journey to the Circuit de Catalunya for the Spanish Grand Prix. After beginning the year with four long haul races, the European season starts here – with a return to the circuit that hosted two-thirds of this year’s pre-season testing.



The track itself is famed for offering a broad examination of Formula One machinery with its mix of medium and high-speed corners, a low-speed complex and a long straight. As a venue it hasn’t, however, proved to be particularly conducive to overtaking: the corner combinations tending to make following and attacking very difficult – even with DRS.

Barcelona in May is a very different proposition to Barcelona in February. Temperatures are on average some 15°C higher, and this changes the challenge completely. What doesn’t change is the abrasive nature of the asphalt.

Given the evidence of the first four races in 2013, Pirelli have decided to move away from the Hard/Soft allocation favoured in Spain for the past two years, and instead will bring the Hard and Medium compounds. The Hard, however, is not the tyre that saw use in Malaysia and Bahrain. Pirelli have tweaked their offering, making it closer to that used in 2012.

Coming to Spain, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing lead their respective championships – but this does little to disguise the fact that it has been another weird and wonderful beginning to the year, with more questions asked than answered in March and April. The Circuit de Catalunya is regarded as the first ‘normal’ track of the season, and has frequently provided a solid indication of overall car performance – on 16 occasions from 22 runnings the team winning in Barcelona has collected the Constructors’ Championship trophy at the end of the year.
Schedule


Friday May 10, 2013
Free Practice 1 | 08:00 GMT
Free Practice 2 | 12: 00 GMT

Saturday May 11, 2013
Free Practice 3 | 09:00 GMT
Qualifying | 12:00 GMT

Sunday May 12, 2013
Race | 12:00 GMT
Facts


  • The Circuit de Catalunya became the home of the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix in 1991, taking over from Jerez de la Frontera (1986-90). The race has also been held at the Jarama circuit in Madrid (1967-8, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976-80), Montjuïc (1969, 1971, 1973, 1975) and Pedralbes (1951, 1954). Only five circuits on the current F1 calendar have a longer continuous run (Interlagos, Silverstone, the Hungaroring, Monza and Monaco).
  • The Circuit de Catalunya is one of three Spanish Grand Prix venues located in the vicinity of Barcelona. The others – Pedralbes and Montjuïc – were within the boundaries of the modern city. This track, despite frequently being referred to simply as ‘Barcelona’, is not.
  • Pastor Maldonado’s Spanish Grand Prix victory last year saw a number of ‘firsts’ recorded. It was his first start from pole position, his first victory, and the first win for a Venezuelan in Formula One.
  • Maldonado is the only driver to win a grand prix at the Circuit de Catalunya and for that to be his solitary victory of the season.
  • Maldonado’s win, however, should not be regarded as surprising. Taking pole position (after Lewis Hamilton was excluded from the qualifying result) made him a favourite. Starting from pole at this circuit has historically been the key to victory: 18 times from the 22 races, the driver starting P1 has won the race. Of the four drivers to buck the trend, Mika Häkkinen, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel were all front-row starters.
  • leaving Michael Schumacher the distinction of being the only driver to win the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya having started without a clear track in front of him. In 1996 he qualified third. With the race affected by torrential rain, he made light work of the terrible conditions to record his first victory for Ferrari. Another 71 would follow.
  • Ferrari is the constructor with the best record at the circuit. The Scuderia has won here seven times, Williams has six victories, McLaren four, Red Bull two, Benetton/Renault two and Brawn one.
  • Regarding drivers, Schumacher (1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004) is out in front with six victories at this circuit. Häkkinen (1998, 1999, 2000) has three wins, Kimi Räikkönen (2005, 2008) and Nigel Mansell (1991, 1992) two each. The race has also been won by Alain Prost (1993), Damon Hill (1994), Jacques Villeneuve (1997), Fernando Alonso (2006), Felipe Massa (2007), Jenson Button (2009), Mark Webber (2010) and Vettel (2011). Mansell and Prost also won at Jerez.
  • The Circuit de Catalunya is a preferred testing venue for F1 teams. The driver with the most testing mileage at this circuit is McLaren’s Jenson Button. The 2009 World Champion has completed a staggering 34,706 testing kilometres at this circuit.

Formula 1 Statistics


See our F1 Statistics page for up-to-date standings and charts.
View the Post on the Blog
 
Nice to see F1 back again! Spain is not my favourite circuit but I'm still looking forward to the race hugely. There should also be a lot of upgrades from the teams so it will be interesting to see if the running order will change.
 
Felt like another winter break indeed.

Is the BBC broadcasting the Spanish GP this weekend?
 
They should do kart races on free weekends or something.

I'd pay to view them. Bernie, you are losing money there, make it happen.


And now seriously, I hope the race is good. It will be interesting to see who gets the most from the new hard tyres.
 
Press conference.

Thursday, May 09, 1500 hours local time (1300 GMT)
Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Valtteri Bottas (Williams), Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber), Sergio Perez (McLaren), Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull).
 
Weather for the event,

10:00 -15:30 - FP1 and 2 - 16-18 degrees with light rain possibly in FP1.

11:00 -15:00 - FP3 and Quali - 16-18 degrees, sunny weather.

14:00 -16:00 - 17-16 degrees, sunny weather.
 
A Little Statistic of Vettel, Alonso, Hamitlon
In all the 19 tracks of This season Vettel and Alonso was on Podium at Certain Points on their Career. Vettel was on Top Step in 15 tracks with Montreal , Nurburgring, Hungary and Austin yet to win and Alonso was on Top step in 14 Tracks with Spa, India, Abu Dhabi , Austin and Brazil are there to win for 1st time
Lewis was on Podium on 18 tracks as he needs to be on Podium place in India. In Top step he has 13 With Bahrain, Suzuka, Korea, India, Brazil yet to win
 
I think the Construction of the Tires is causing the Delamination's . We saw last year and Before last year drivers went accidentally Over Debris but they got Less grip and we saw rarely a Puncture but not Surprising Punctures like this season.
 
Pirelli can easily make a tire that lasts the entire race. But then the teams will complain again, like they always do.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest News

Online or Offline racing?

  • 100% online racing

    Votes: 96 7.7%
  • 75% online 25% offline

    Votes: 130 10.5%
  • 50% online 50% offline

    Votes: 175 14.1%
  • 25% online 75% offline

    Votes: 351 28.2%
  • 100% offline racing

    Votes: 487 39.1%
  • Something else, explain in comment

    Votes: 5 0.4%
Back
Top