2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix

History brief of the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona

The Formula One Spanish Grand Prix is one of the most anticipated annual events in Spain. The race takes place each May at the Circuit de Catalunya just outside Barcelona. A Formula One Grand Prix weekend in Spain is hard to beat.

Spain has a long racing history, which stretches back to the early days of 1908 and 1909 when the Catalan Cup was staged on roads around Sitges, just outside Barcelona Jules Goux won back to back victories with little more in the way of safety equipment than a pair of goggles and a pair of leather gloves. The enthusiasm for racing led to the construction of a permanent track called Sitges-Terrama, which hosted the Spanish Grand Prix in 1923 but was abandoned immediately afterwards.

The circuit held its inaugural Formula One Grand Prix in 1969, but it’s last in 1975 was marked by tragedy. The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix was marked by tragedy. Two time  F1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi withdrew in protest before the start of the race, citing the circuit as dangerous (a feeling held by many drivers), and sadly he was proved right: on lap 26 Rolf Stommelen’s car skidded off the track, killing five spectators. Formula One never returned to Montjuic.

Throughout the 1980s the Spanish Grand Prix either took place in Jarama or Jerez, but in 1991 work finished on a new track just outside Barcelona, in Montmelo: the Circuit de Catalunya. The same year Formula One moved back to Catalonia where it has remained ever since, arriving one year before the 1992 Olympics..

Renamed the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2013, the track is seen as an all-round challenge with 16 corners of varying difficulty combined with long straights (although overtaking on the track is notoriously difficult). The current track is 2.9 miles long and the lap record is held by Kimi Räikkönen at 1 minute 21.67 seconds. Over the years the track has been kind to the British drivers, with Nigel Mansell winning in both 1991 and 1992, Damon Hill in 1994, more recently Jensen Button in 2009 and Lewis Hamilton in 2014 and 2017.

The Finns have certainly had their fair share of Formula One success in Barcelona too with Mika Häkkinen taking first on the podium in 1998-2000 and Kimi in 2005 and 2008. Naturally none other than Michael Schumacher himself had the most success on the Catalan Circuit with an impressive six victories.

Meanwhile, local favorite, Fernando Alonso became the first Spaniard to win the Spanish Grand Prix in 2006, matching that feat seven years later in 2013. Alonso also came 2nd in 2003 and 2005 and his home performances have helped make the race popular among the locals.

 Contact us today to find out about our special offers to attend the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. And inquire about a discount if book both the Spanish Grand Prix and Monaco Grand Prix together.