Preview of the Spanish Grand Prix

On the occasion of each Grand Prix this season, Motorsinside.com offers you a preview of the Grand Prix by revisiting the events that have marked its history as well as some information—sometimes less useful—about the host country. This weekend, let’s focus on the Spanish Grand Prix and its long and tumultuous history.

IT HAPPENED IN SPAIN

It was in 1951 that the first Spanish Grand Prix of Formula One took place on the Pedralbes circuit, laid out in the streets of Barcelona: it was then the last race of the season, decisive for the title. But the Ferrari drivers, led by Alberto Ascari, had to frequently change tires, thereby offering a comfortable victory and the ultimate title to Juan Manuel Fangio, on an Alfa Romeo, which was its last victory since the manufacturer withdrew from the championship before returning almost 30 years later.

In 1954, for its second edition, won by Mike Hawthorne, the Spanish Grand Prix once again concluded the season, with the title already secured by Fangio. However, the Grand Prix was marked by the debut of Lancia and the short-lived D50, which had been eagerly anticipated all season by Alberto Ascari, who had been forced to drive Maseratis and Ferraris while waiting for his car. The Italian claimed the pole position and set the fastest lap but failed to finish the race, due to a clutch problem.

In 1968, Spain returned to the F1 calendar – after a non-championship race held in 1967. Graham Hill won the race for Team Lotus, which was still mourning the death of Jim Clark a few weeks earlier.

In 1969, Jackie Stewart, driving a Matra, delivered a true humiliation to his opponents on the brand new Montjuïc Parc circuit, leaving Bruce McLaren, who finished second, two laps behind. Damon Hill would equal this performance at the Australian Grand Prix in 1995. In 1970, Stewart, once again, secured the first victory for the March team in only their second Formula One race before, a year later, giving Tyrell their first Grand Prix win.

Alternating from one season to another between Montjuïc and Jarama, it was on the latter that Niki Lauda signed his first victory, in 1974, during his first season with Enzo Ferrari.

The following season, the Spanish Grand Prix, this time held at the Montjuïc circuit, turned into a tragedy. From the practice sessions, the Drivers’ Association protested against the poor safety conditions, particularly the state of the safety barriers on this circuit designed in an amusement park. Most drivers did not participate in the practice sessions and, the next day, despite the organizers’ efforts to repair the barriers, they remained reluctant. The organizers then threatened legal action if the Grand Prix did not take place, while rumors circulated that the Civil Guard would seize the cars of drivers refusing to participate in the race: Spain was living through the final months of Francoism. Thus, all participated in the qualifying session, but the reigning champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, limited himself to the three mandatory laps, carried out at a slow pace, before returning to the pits. On Sunday, Niki Lauda started from pole position in a race that Emerson Fittipaldi did not start. However, the Austrian quickly disembarked after an accident at the start. The rest of the race was just a series of retirements and accidents, but it’s important to note the voluntary withdrawal of Wilson Fittipaldi and Arturo Merzario on the first lap as a sign of protest. But on the 25th lap, the race experienced its last twist when the rear wing of Rolf Stommelen’s Embassy Hill broke, propelling the German driver into the barriers which sent him back onto the track before the Embassy Hill took off, killing five people instantly, except for the driver who miraculously survived. The race was only stopped four laps later, handing Jochen Mass his first and only Grand Prix victory for McLaren, while Lella Lombardi, finishing 6th, made history by becoming the first—and only—woman to score points in Formula One.

The Grand Barnum of F1 therefore no longer visited the Montjuïc circuit deemed too dangerous but returned to Spain in 1976, a few months after the death of General Franco and the rise to power of King Juan Carlos.

In 1980, the Spanish Grand Prix once again etched its name in the Grand History of Formula One. Indeed, since the start of the season, the teams belonging to FOCA, in open conflict with the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA), had been instructing their drivers to boycott the briefings imposed by FISA before each event. Frustrated to see the drivers repeatedly ignoring the rules Grand Prix after Grand Prix with complete impunity, the legalist teams (Renault, Ferrari, and Alfa Romeo) threatened not to start the Spanish Grand Prix if the drivers absent from the pre-race briefing were not immediately sanctioned. With no compromise reached between FISA and FOCA, the race was held without the participation of Ferrari, Renault, and Alfa Romeo drivers and without FISA officials. Alan Jones claimed victory in the Williams before the race was declared illegal and removed from the 1980 world championship.

In 1981, Gilles Villeneuve won his 6th and final Grand Prix at Jarama before Spain disappeared from the calendar until 1986 when it returned on the Jerez de la Frontera circuit. This first edition on the Andalusian track was marked by the legendary duel between Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell in the last lap before the Brazilian claimed victory by 14 thousandths of a second ahead of the Briton, the 3rd closest finish in history. The two men would indeed face off again in 1991 for the inaugural Grand Prix of the Barcelona circuit, during another epic duel, wheel to wheel, down the straight.

In 1994, Damon Hill won the Spanish Grand Prix for Williams, marking the first victory since Ayrton Senna’s passing a month earlier, while Michael Schumacher finished second after spending a large part of his race stuck in 5th gear.

One year later, the Lion, Nigel Mansell, roared his last at the Spanish Grand Prix after having won there three times and showcased his skills against Ayrton Senna.

In the years that followed, Mika Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher made their mark on the Catalan circuit by winning three and six times respectively, including Michael Schumacher’s victory in 2001, achieved at the expense of his rival who was let down by the clutch of his McLaren just a few hundred meters from the checkered flag.

Counting Michael Schumacher’s last victory in 2004, there were 6 different winners between 2004 and 2010: Michael Schumacher (2004), Kimi Räikkönen (2005 and 2008), Fernando Alonso (2006), Felipe Massa (2007), Jenson Button (2009), and Mark Webber (2010). In 2007, after finishing 2nd at the Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton took the lead in a championship he would hold uninterruptedly until Brazil, where he was dethroned by Kimi Räikkönen. Last year, Mark Webber dominated the race from pole position and led every lap, narrowly missing his first Grand Slam in Formula One by settling for the second-fastest time in the race.

WE WILL NEED TO FOLLOW THEM

The DRS: If Turkey was an anticipated test for Pirelli tires, opinions are unanimous in making Barcelona the true test of DRS effectiveness: « I think it will be a very good test. In the past, [Barcelona] was the worst track for overtaking » says Michael Schumacher, six-time winner in Catalonia. Martin Whitmarsh shares the same reasoning: « We have been able to see how DRS and KERS have influenced the race since the beginning of the season, so we will see how things progress in Barcelona given that the Spanish Grand Prix has shown limited overtaking opportunities. »

The numbers indeed confirm this impression. According to the site Cliptheapex.com, the average number of overtakes per Grand Prix in Spain is 8.7 on a dry track. This would place it just ahead of the Valencia street circuit (6.3) but just behind Abu Dhabi (9.5) and especially Monaco (9.6). In half of the races held in Barcelona, there have been fewer than 10 overtakes, and some sources even claim that the 1999 edition was marked by a single overtake. Another revealing statistic: in the 20 Grand Prix races held in Barcelona, the pole sitter has won 16 times, and over the past ten years, the driver who set the fastest qualifying time has always won the race. In fact, last year, Mark Webber secured pole position, the victory, and led the entire Grand Prix.

The organization of the Grand Prix seems fully aware of the shortcomings of the circuit and is ready to consider modifications to its layout if the 2011 edition confirms the historical trend of the circuit, despite the DRS: « If it’s really necessary, we will make the necessary investments because we want to be a reference » says the new director of the circuit, Salvador Servia, in the columns of La Vanguardia.

Michael Schumacher: In 1996, the German won his first of six victories in Spain at Barcelona, but more importantly, his first victory for Ferrari. With the best average starting grid position (3.06), the German could hope to replicate this performance with Mercedes.

THE MYSTERY NUMBER

With nearly 47 million inhabitants, Spain is the 29th most populous nation in the world, 6th in Europe, and 11th among the countries on the F1 calendar, just behind Korea. Spain is also the 51st largest state with 505,991 km², making it the 8th largest country on the 2011 calendar.

Economically, Spain is the world’s leading producer of olive oil and the leading European producer of wind energy with 42,976 kWh produced in 2010 compared to 36,500 kWh for its runner-up, Germany. Spain is also the largest exporter of children’s fashion and childcare products, ahead of France, Germany, and Italy. With 43 million visitors, Spain is the 4th most popular tourist destination behind France, the United States, and China.

But to learn even more about Spain, we invite you to uncover the mystery number. You have until the start of the Grand Prix to expose it, by asking us questions – to which we can only answer with yes or no – and by avoiding the use of search engines. A first hint, however: the mystery number has no relation to F1 and requires no knowledge of urban demography.

The mystery number of the Spanish Grand Prix is 1200