Sparks, tears and triumphs: 6 highlights of the Spanish Grand Prix

The Spanish Grand Prix returns this weekend to the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit. For thirty-four years, this track has witnessed epic battles, total surprises, and dramatic moments that have written the history of Formula 1. Before its move to Madrid in 2026, let’s revisit six episodes that have marked its history on the Catalan track.

1991: The Mansell-Senna duel enters the legend

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya made its Formula 1 debut in November 1991. By the fifth lap, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna were engaged in an epic battle. The two cars raced side by side on the main straight at over 300 km/h for seven seconds. Sparks flew from the chassis, creating an image that would go down in motorsport history.

Mansell is then 24 points behind Senna in the championship and cannot afford another failure after his off-track incident in Portugal. His Williams FW14 performs wonderfully from the first few laps. Starting behind the Brazilian after a tricky start in the rain, the Brit quickly catches up to the McLaren MP4/6.

On the fifth lap, Mansell pulls out of the slipstream earlier than expected. The two cars are perfectly aligned, with neither driver yielding. This sequence captures the very essence of 1990s Formula 1, even though a pit stop that takes too long will ultimately deny Mansell the victory.

2. 1996: Schumacher’s first triumph in red

Michael Schumacher arrives at Ferrari with the objective of bringing the Scuderia back to the forefront. However, his beginnings remain difficult. Fifteen days before Barcelona, the German makes a fatal mistake in Monaco under the rain. “I have a debt to the Ferrari fans,” he declares after this accident.

Spain offers him the chance to redeem himself. Qualified third behind the Williams of Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve, Schumacher sees the rain completely transform the race on Sunday morning.

Seventh after the first turn, he methodically moves up the rankings. Gerhard Berger drops out on the fourth lap, Jean Alesi five laps later, then Villeneuve on the twelfth lap. Schumacher then opens up an impressive gap, completing the 14th lap in 1:45.571, more than two seconds faster than his pursuers.

His Ferrari F310 goes through some difficult moments. The V10 engine shows signs of weakness on the 18th lap, running only on eight cylinders. Despite these technical issues, Schumacher holds on and wins. This first victory in red kicks off an adventure that will end ten years and 71 wins later in China.

3. 2001: Häkkinen’s Calvary on the Last Lap

Mika Häkkinen dominates this 2001 race from start to finish. The Finn has a 42-second lead over Michael Schumacher before starting the 65th and final lap. His McLaren MP4-16 has shown no weakness throughout the event, the victory seems assured.

During the ascent of turn 3, the unthinkable happens. A hydraulic leak causes the clutch to fail. The McLaren suddenly loses all transmission. Häkkinen continues for a few seconds by inertia, incredulous, desperately trying to restart his machine while Schumacher speeds back.

The double world champion eventually came to a stop, with white smoke billowing from his car. He raised his arms to the sky, helpless, as the red Ferrari overtook him to seize an unexpected victory. “It would be nice to have a punching bag in the motorhome now,” the usually calm Finnish driver would later admit.

Schumacher, aware of his extraordinary luck, breaks the Parc Fermé protocol to go console his rival. This mechanical failure at the worst moment remains one of the cruelest in recent F1 history.

4. 2012: Maldonado’s improbable feat

Pastor Maldonado is not the favorite that day. The Venezuelan from Williams is indeed starting from pole position, but only because Lewis Hamilton was disqualified from qualifying for lack of fuel. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso and the 82,000 Spanish spectators are hoping for a home victory.

The scenario seems to unfold perfectly when Alonso takes the lead at the first corner. However, Williams had prepared their strategy well. On the 24th lap, the British team brings Maldonado in before everyone else. The stop is perfect, and the driver emerges into clear space. His new tires will allow him to build a decisive gap while Alonso struggles with the backmarkers.

When Ferrari reacts two laps later, it’s too late. Maldonado has taken a seven-second lead that he will maintain until the end. A moment of stress will occur during his last pit stop where the right rear wheel takes a while to be secured. Alonso had finally closed in, but the Venezuelan held strong.

This victory goes down in history, as Maldonado becomes the first and only Venezuelan driver to win a Formula 1 race. A feat based on pure performance over 66 laps.

5. 2016: Verstappen Takes Advantage of Mercedes Chaos

Max Verstappen discovers Red Bull Racing after his surprise promotion from Toro Rosso. The 18-year-old Dutchman, at 228 days, probably does not imagine clinching his first victory in his very first race with his new team.

Everything changes in the first lap. Nico Rosberg takes the lead over Lewis Hamilton in the first corner, but the British world champion fights back at the exit of the third corner. Trying to pass on the inside, Hamilton finds the trajectory closing. He ends up on the grass and hits his teammate. Both Mercedes end up in the gravel trap.

This exit from the stage paves the way for the Red Bulls and Ferraris. Verstappen, fifth at the start, suddenly inherits a golden opportunity. The Austrian team opts for a two-stop strategy, unlike its rivals who are planning three.

The gamble pays off. Verstappen makes his tires last over a final stint of 32 laps, resisting repeated attacks from Kimi Räikkönen equipped with DRS. The young driver makes no mistakes and becomes the youngest winner in F1 history, a record that still stands today.

6. 2013: Alonso’s Last Triumph

Fernando Alonso has not won for nearly a year when he arrives in Barcelona in May 2013. The Spanish driver is already 30 points behind Sebastian Vettel in the championship, and Ferrari is struggling against Red Bull.

From the very first laps, however, the Scuderia presents a different face. Starting fifth, Alonso takes advantage of a blazing start to move up to third place by the first corner. He passes Kimi Räikkönen in the first sector and then Lewis Hamilton on the outside of the third corner, under the cheers of the Catalan crowd.

The race quickly becomes a demonstration. The Ferrari F138 displays overwhelming superiority, allowing Alonso to build considerable gaps with each stint. Vettel, the reigning triple world champion, finishes more than 38 seconds behind the winner.

Upon arrival, Alonso declares: “In four years at Ferrari, this is the best car we’ve had.” He climbs onto his car and waves the Spanish flag in front of a cheering crowd chanting his name. This second victory in Barcelona, after the one in 2006, would also be his last in a Grand Prix. Twelve years later, the Asturian is still chasing after that elusive 33rd win.

Since 1991, the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit has written some of the most beautiful pages in Formula 1. The show has always been a spectacle there. For its last Spanish Grand Prix before moving to Madring, will the Catalan track deliver a finale worthy of its history? Find out Sunday!