The Spanish Grand Prix - did you know?

Share

Did you know that eight different drivers have won the last eight Grands Prix in Barcelona? Or that the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will become only the 13th venue in Formula One racing history to host a quarter-century of races this weekend? We sift through all the need-to-know stats, facts and trivia ahead of the Formula 1 Gran Premio de Espana Pirelli 2015...

Race winner Nigel Mansell celebrates his victory with Michael Schumacher on the podium.  Spanish

Race winner Nigel Mansell celebrates his victory with Michael Schumacher on the podium. Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona, 3 May 1992

Nigel Mansell and Michael Schumacher are two of only five drivers to have claimed multiple victories at Barcelona

  • While Spain has had five Grand Prix venues, Barcelona has become the permanent home of the Spanish Grand Prix since taking over from Jerez in 1991. The track will host its 25th race this weekend - only 12 other venues have hosted more, with Monza top of the list on 64.
  • Fourteen drivers in total have triumphed at the Catalan circuit, including eight different drivers from the last eight races. In fact, only two drivers on the current grid - Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso - have claimed more than one victory at the track. The Finn prevailed in 2005 with McLaren and 2008 with Ferrari, while Alonso was victorious in 2006 with Renault and in 2013 with Ferrari.
  • Nigel Mansell triumphed in the first two editions of the race in 1991 and 1992, meaning he sits level with Raikkonen and Alonso in the wins count. Only two other men have taken multiple victories - Mika Hakkinen on three, and Michael Schumacher on six.
  • That is not the only record Schumacher holds at Barcelona. In 1995 he posted a record winning-margin of 51.988s over then-Benetton team mate Johnny Herbert, lapping everyone up to Damon Hill's Williams in fourth.
Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull Racing RB7 and Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren MP4/26.   Formula One

Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull Racing RB7 and Lewis Hamilton (GBR) McLaren MP4/26. Formula One World Championship, Rd 5, Spanish Grand Prix, Race, Barcelona, Spain, Sunday 22 May 2011. BEST IMAGE

Sebastian Vettel prevailed by the tightest margin in 2011 - just 0.630s

  • The smallest winning margin, by contrast, came in 2011 when Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel beat McLaren's Lewis Hamilton by just 0.630s. Three years later Hamilton was on the other side of a similarly tense finish, edging Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg by just 0.636s.
  • It was the first time in seven attempts that Hamilton had triumphed in Catalunya, the Briton having previously finished on the podium three times (second in 2007 and 2011, and third in 2008). Interestingly, Schumacher posted the same sequence (second-third-second-win), before going on to claim his five further triumphs.
  • In terms of total points gained at Barcelona, no driver has scored more than home favourite Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard has amassed 120 championship points over 13 appearances at Barcelona - two more than Schumacher, while no other driver has reached triple figures. Alonso's tally includes seven podiums overall, and aside from one DNF in 2008, his worst finish in the last decade is sixth.
  • Statistically, pole position is of critical importance at Barcelona. Eight of the last 10 pole sitters went on to take victory, a record even Monaco can't match. The two exceptions were 2011, when Mark Webber took pole but Red Bull team mate Sebastian Vettel triumphed, and 2013, when Mercedes' Nico Rosberg secured pole but Ferrari's Fernando Alonso prevailed.
Lella Lombardi (ITA) Lavazza March 751 finished sixth in her second GP and became the first female

Lella Lombardi (ITA) Lavazza March 751 finished sixth in her second GP and became the first female to score a top six finish in a Grand Prix; albeit scoring just half a championship point, as the race was the first to be declared a result at less than ...

On the 40th anniversary of Lella Lombardi's half-point in Spain, Susie Wolff will compete in FP1 for Williams

  • Ferrari can boast the best record in qualifying, having started from the front of the field seven times in total. Williams are next with five, ahead of McLaren on four and Benetton, Red Bull and Mercedes on two.
  • Williams can boast two other qualifying records however: the largest and smallest pole margins in history at Barcelona. Mansell is responsible for the former, securing pole in 1992 by 1.005s, while Pastor Maldonado's 2012 effort accounts for the latter, as he denied Ferrari's Fernando Alonso by just 0.017s (albeit only after Lewis Hamilton was stripped of pole).
  • Williams will be involved in another momentous occasion this weekend: Susie Wolff's drive in FP1 comes on the 40th anniversary of the last time a female driver scored world championship points, achieved when Lella Lombardi finished sixth at Montjuich in 1975.
  • Elsewhere, McLaren will be hoping to end their barren run - for the first time in their history, they have failed to score points over the first four races of a season. They do at least have the third-best record at Barcelona, with four wins - Ferrari are top with seven, and Williams second on five - but their last victory came a decade ago in 2005 via Kimi Raikkonen.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Coming Up

Coming Up

News

F1 ACADEMY: Pulling secures 2024 title after taking P2 behind Pin in Qatar Race 1