Watching Formula One racing is an exciting prospect in itself, but throw in a trip abroad to a sunny climate such as Spain and the excitement is accelerated to a whole new level.
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The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya track is located on the outskirts of Barcelona, and has been hosting the Spanish GP since it was built back in 1991. The track is 2.892 miles long and each race typically consists of 66 laps, with the pole position located on the left hand side of the track.
The title for the fastest lap in a Spanish Grand Prix goes to Kimi Raikkonen in 2008, when he recorded a high speed of 205.192 kph and completed a lap in just one minute and 21 seconds. The race runs for 190.826 miles and the down force level is rated as high, which means drivers have to drive the race hard throughout. Formula One in Spain became a lot more popular after the introduction of Fernando Alonso to the racing circuit and crowds have grown in numbers as the Spanish star continues to cement himself as one of the recent greats in the sport.
Spain has had a long established relationship with motor racing that goes back to 1908, when the first races were held on the roads just outside of Barcelona in an area called Stiges. This is where the country’s first circuit was constructed and other tracks were soon erected in places such as Jarama, Monjuic and Jerez. It was in the latter region where Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna fought tooth and nail to take the chequered flag in 1986, when eventually stewards awarded the win to Senna who was deemed to have crossed the line just 0.0014 seconds quicker than his rival.
From 1992-1994, the Williams team were victorious in every race held at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya and Michael Schumacher nailed his first victory for Ferrari in 1996 during the Spanish Grand Prix, which was raced in heavy rain. Since 2003, Fernando Alonso has been the primary reason for many F1 fans to attend the Spanish GP and he finished second in 2003 and again in 2005 before finally recording a victory in 2006 from pole position. Alonso also won in 2013 and other Spanish drivers to win the Spanish Grand Prix include Carlos de Salamaca in 1923, Juan Manuel Fangio in 1951 and Maldonado at the current track in 2012.
Anyone wanting to attend this year’s Spanish race may want to purchase a three-day pass for the following events:
- Practice: Friday May 8th 2015
- Qualifying: Saturday May 9th 2015
- Race: Sunday May 10th 2015
The Spanish Grand Prix is the perfect excuse to get away for a few sunny days to enjoy an exciting race at a track that is known for its close finishes and strong competition. And on top of that a trip to the Barcelona area is great for all ages!
