Spanish Grand PrixBarcelona is packed towards the end of April when the Spanish Grand Prix comes to town. All of Spain seems to have converged in Barcelona to cheer on doted son Fernando Alonso, and there's still plenty of room for fans from all over the world.
Gran Premio de España, or the Spanish Grand Prix as it is more internationally known, can boast of a tradition that's almost a century old, from when legends such as Jules Goux won the Catalan Cup on a track in Sitges in 1908. Of course, the Spanish Grand Prix first resembled a race fit for the Formula 1 championship series in 1913, which was won by Carlos de Salamanca for Rolls Royce, and then again in 1923, where the racing returned to Sitges.
The racing was on and off in Spain, changing tracks all over the country and having to cease during the civil war. There was even a time when the Grand Prix would alternate between two circuits, at Montjuïc and Jarama for seven years, and then in Jerez for four years after five years that Spain didn't participate in the Formula 1 championship. Then, finally, a bid for permanence was made when the Circuit de Catalunya was built in time for the 1991 Spanish Grand Prix.
The Circuit de Catalunya is made up of lengthy straights and just about any size and shape of corner you can find, demanding high-speed turning one corner, then low-speed on the next. For this reason, as well as the region's beautiful year-round weather, drivers often use the circuit as a test track during the off season, in winter. Despite all the testing done on this circuit, it remains a challenging track. Drivers find it is really difficult to overtake other cars for most of the track. They also have a hard time setting up due to the sudden shifting in wind direction and easy tyre wear.
Michael Schumacher, who currently holds the record in Barcelona for the most wins, has had immense difficulty with this circuit; in 1994, he had to spend half the race in fifth gear, but managed to place second, then won his first of six Spanish Grand Prix trophies during a freak thunderstorm. Other tales of track difficulty abound, some with fatal results.
Still, the prestige that comes with winning at Catalunya is great, especially with the knowledge that only world champions were successful at the Spanish Grand Prix in the Circuit de Catalunya – that is, until Kimi Raikkonen won in 2005.
Comment: Medium Rectangle-MiddleOn the Circuit de Catalunya, Mika Häkkinen won the Spanish Grand Prix three times, while Nigel Mansell of the UK won the first two years of the circuit. Before then, Mansell won in 1987 in Jerez, Alain Prost won twice on that same track, Mario Andretti won twice in Jarama, Emerson Fittipaldi won two consecutive years on the alternate Montjuïc and Jarama tracks, while Jackie Stewart won three on the same alternating tracks.
Despite the many grand prix held in Spain in the last century, Fernando Alonso was the first of his countrymen to win the Spanish Grand Prix in 2006. In 2007, the race was won by Felipe Massa of Brazil.
Drivers fondly call the Circuit de Catalunya the "Barcelona," even though it isn't technically in Barcelona, but rather to the north of the city in Montmeló. Still, because of the city's attractions, managing to be both cosmopolitan yet traditionally gothic at once, more Spanish Grand Prix attendees prefer to stay in Barcelona, not minding the thirty minute drive to the circuit, nor the shorter drive to the beach. Others also opt to take the train to Montmeló to afford better Spanish Grand Prix tickets. While in Barcelona, accommodations vary per budget, from 5-star hotels in L'Eixample and more affordable lodgings in the nearby districts.
There are so many spectators in Spain that grandstand capacity was extended to accommodate the huge crowds for the Spanish Grand Prix, offering better views for all spectators. The Elf corner is popular among spectators because this is one of the very few corners where drivers are able to overtake each other at all, and Spanish Grand Prix tickets for this area are often sold out early. Tickets were divided into four price ranges due to the 2008 grandstand expansion.
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