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Spanish Grand Prix
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
(2023)
Circuit de Catalunya moto 2021.svg
Race information
Number of times held 64
First held 1913
Most wins (drivers) Germany Michael Schumacher (6)
United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton (6)
Most wins (constructors) Italy Ferrari (12)
Circuit length 4.657 km (2.894 mi)
Race length 307.362 km (190.908 mi)
Laps 66
Last race (2023)
Pole position
Podium
Fastest lap

The Spanish Grand Prix (Spanish: Gran Premio de España, Catalan: Gran Premi d'Espanya) is a Formula One motor racing event currently held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The race is one of the oldest in the world still contested, celebrating its centenary in 2013. The race had modest beginnings as a production car race. Interrupted by the First World War, the race waited a decade for its second running before becoming a staple of the European calendar. In 1927 it was part of the World Manufacturers' Championship; it was promoted to the European Championship in 1935 before the Spanish Civil War brought an end to racing. The race was successfully revived in 1967 and has been a regular part of the Formula One World Championship since 1968 (except 1982–1985) at a variety of venues.

The event is due to take place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya until 2026. From 2026 until at least 2035 the race will be run at a new circuit near Madrid.

History

Origins and pre-war

The first race generally considered to be a Spanish Grand Prix was held in 1913. Though not run to the Grand Prix formula of the day, instead it was a race for touring cars, taking place on a 300-kilometre road circuit at Guadarrama, near Madrid, on the road to Valladolid. It was officially named the RACE Grand Prix (after the Royal Automobile Club of Spain) and was won by Carlos de Salamanca with Rolls-Royce.

Motor racing events had taken place in Spain prior to that—the most notable among them being the Catalan Cup held annually from 1908 to 1910, on roads around Sitges, near Barcelona. The first event was won by Giosuè Giuppone on a Lion-Peugeot, with both following events won by Jules Goux, also driving a Lion-Peugeot, these races helping to establish a strong racing tradition in Spain, which has continued to this day. This enthusiasm for racing led to the plan to build a permanent track at Sitges—a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) oval that became known as Sitges-Terramar, and was the site of the first race to officially carry the title Spanish Grand Prix in 1923, won by Albert Divo in a Sunbeam.

Lasarte

After this first race, the track fell into financial difficulties, and the organisers had to look for another venue. In 1926, the Spanish Grand Prix moved to the 17.749 km (11.029 mi) Circuito Lasarte on the northern coast near Bilbao, home of the main race in Spain during the 1920s—the San Sebastián Grand Prix. The 1927 Spanish Grand Prix was part of the AIACR World Manufacturers' Championship, but the race was still not established and in 1928 and 1929 was run to sports car regulations. The 1930 Spanish Grand Prix for sports cars, scheduled for 27 July, was cancelled due to the bad economic situation following the Wall Street crash in October 1929. The 1931 and 1932 Spanish Grands Prix were also announced, only to be cancelled due to political and economic difficulties. Finally, in 1933 the Spanish Grand Prix was revived at Lasarte with government backing. Following the 1935 race, Spain descended into civil war and racing stopped. In 1946, racing returned to Spain in the form of the Penya Rhin Grand Prix at the Pedralbes street circuit in Barcelona.

Formula One

Pedralbes

Spain did not return to the international calendar until 1951, joining the list of races of the Formula One championship at the very wide Pedralbes street circuit in Barcelona. Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio won his first world championship at the 1951 event in an Alfa Romeo while he took advantage of the improved works Ferrari's tire problems. The race was scheduled for the 1952 and 1953 seasons but did not take place due to a lack of money, and in 1954, Briton Mike Hawthorn stopped Mercedes's dominance by winning in a Ferrari. In 1955, the Spanish Grand Prix at Pedralbes was scheduled to take place, but a terrible accident at the 24 Hours of Le Mans that killed more than 80 people resulted in regulations governing spectator safety, and the scheduled Spanish Grand Prix (like many others) was cancelled that year and for the subsequent 2 years (also owing to more problems with money to hold the race), and the wide but pedestrian-lined street track at Pedralbes was then never used again for motor racing.

Jarama and Montjuïc

In the 1960s, Spain made a bid to return to the world of international motor racing—the Royal Automobile Club of Spain commissioned a new permanent racing circuit just north of Madrid at Jarama, and the Spanish government refurbished the Montjuïc street circuit in Barcelona with safety upgrades. A non-championship Grand Prix took place at Jarama in 1967, which was won by Jim Clark racing in a Lotus F1 car.

In 1968, Jarama hosted the Spanish Grand Prix, near the beginning of the F1 season. It was agreed, following this event, that the race would alternate between the tight, slow and twisty Jarama and the fast, wide and sweeping Montjuïc, and the Montjuïc circuit hosted its first Formula One race in 1969, with Briton Jackie Stewart winning. Jarama would get the race in even-numbered years, and Montjuïc in odd-numbered years. 1970 was a race that saw Belgian Jacky Ickx and Briton Jackie Oliver get involved in a fiery accident; with Ickx and Oliver escaping with burns. The race was won by Stewart, he won again the next year after holding off 3 more powerful 12-cylinder engined cars. Austrian Niki Lauda won his first of 25 races in 1974. The 1975 event was marked by tragedy. There had been concerns about track safety during practice races, as the Armco barriers surrounding the city streets of the Montjuïc circuit had not been fastened down properly. There were a number of protests, and the drivers refused to race. The organizers panicked, and they threatened to lock the cars inside the stadium where they stayed while not being raced. The drivers and teams relented; but double-winner Emerson Fittipaldi retired in protest after a single lap. On the 26th lap of the race, Rolf Stommelen's car crashed when the rear wing broke off, killing four spectators. The race was stopped on the 29th lap and won by Jochen Mass, though only half the points were awarded.

Jarama

After the tragic events at the dangerously fast and tight space of Montjuïc, the Spanish Grand Prix was confined to Jarama. The 1976 race saw Briton James Hunt take advantage of Lauda's broken ribs in a tractor accident; he was then disqualified after his McLaren was found to be 1.8 inches too wide. McLaren appealed the decision, and it was successful; Hunt's points were restored. 1977 and 1978 saw Mario Andretti dominate in his ground-effect Lotus 78. The 1980 race was of note, because on the Friday morning of race weekend, FISA president Jean-Marie Balestre announced the Spanish Grand Prix would not be counted as a championship race. As a result, none of the factory teams (Ferrari, Renault and Alfa Romeo) showed up for the event and only the independent constructors belonging to FOCA competed. The race was won by Alan Jones in a Williams. 1981 was a race that Gilles Villeneuve in his ill-handling Ferrari held off 4 better-handling cars to take victory on the twisty and confined circuit; this is considered one of the greatest drives in all motorsports. But the Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama was then also dropped from the racing calendar after being cancelled in 1982 because the organizers seemed more interested in the golf course near the circuit, and because of the narrow track, unpleasantly hot late June conditions, and small crowd at that year's race; it would return in 1986.

Jerez

An attempt to revive the Spanish Grand Prix on a street circuit in the southwestern resort town of Fuengirola for 1984 and 1985 did not work out; but in 1985, the Mayor of Jerez commissioned a new racing circuit in his town to promote tourism and sherries. The track, the Circuito Permanente de Jerez, located near Seville in southern Spain was finished in time for the 1986 championship, which saw a furious battle between Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell, with the two cars finishing side by side. Senna won by 0.014 seconds—one of F1's closest finishes. 1987 saw Mansell win in his Williams; and 1989 saw Senna drive a hard race to keep himself in the championship points; he won the event from Austrian Gerhard Berger in a Ferrari and the Brazilian's fierce rival and McLaren teammate, Frenchman Alain Prost. The 1990 event was the last Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez (although Jerez did stage the European Grand Prix in 1994 and 1997). During the practice, Martin Donnelly's Lotus was destroyed in a high-speed crash, and the Briton was ejected from the car. He was severely injured, but survived; he never raced in Formula One again. Jerez's remote location did not help build large crowds for the race, combined with Donnelly's appalling crash into Armco barriers close to the track did nothing to help Jerez's reputation; although the circuit was popular with the F1 fraternity. Ferrari finished first and second in the race, with Prost finishing ahead of Mansell.

Catalunya

Work on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was underway in Montmeló, few kilometres from Barcelona, thanks to the support of the Spanish government, and in 1991, the event moved to this new track, where it has remained since. The 1992 event was advertised as the Grand Prix of the Olympic Games. Since that race the race has been held in early season, usually in late April or early May.

The Williams team dominated the first outings there, taking all victories until 1994. Michael Schumacher has won a total of six times, including his 1996 victory in heavy rain, which was his first for Ferrari. Mika Häkkinen took three victories and was on road for fourth in 2001 before his car failed on the last lap.

Since 2003 the race has been well attended thanks to success of Fernando Alonso. Alonso finished second in 2003 and 2005 before taking victory from pole in 2006. Alonso also finished third in 2007, with two further second places in 2010 and 2012, where he finished behind the Williams of Spanish speaking Pastor Maldonado, who won from pole; this was the first win and pole in a Grand Prix for a Venezuelan driver and Williams's first win since the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix and the team's first Spanish Grand Prix win and pole since 1997. Two Spanish drivers have won the Spanish Grand Prix; Carlos de Salamanca in 1913 and Alonso in 2006 and 2013, with Spanish speaking Juan Manuel Fangio winning in 1951 as well as Maldonado in 2012.

From 2013, the Spanish Grand Prix was due to alternate every year between Catalunya and the Valencia Street Circuit. However, this did not happen—Valencia dropped out for financial reasons and Catalunya remained the sole host of the Spanish Grand Prix.

Only four of the 19 races at this track between 2001 and 2019 have not been won from pole position.

The 2020 race was postponed from May to August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race returned in 2021; Lewis Hamilton won the race after passing Max Verstappen after making an additional pit stop.

The layout of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya changed in 2023 to use the layout currently used by MotoGP since 2021.

Madrid

Spain's capital city, Madrid, has been nominated as a future host of Formula 1, with a target debut in 2025. However, it was pushed back to 2026. The new street circuit will be located around the IFEMA Palacio Municipal in Madrid.

Winners of the Spanish Grand Prix

Multiple winners (drivers)

Drivers in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in the current season
A pink background indicates an event that was not part of the Formula One World Championship.

Wins Driver Years won
6 Germany Michael Schumacher 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004
United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
3 United Kingdom Jackie Stewart 1969, 1970, 1971
United Kingdom Nigel Mansell 1987, 1991, 1992
France Alain Prost 1988, 1990, 1993
Finland Mika Häkkinen 1998, 1999, 2000
Netherlands Max Verstappen 2016, 2022, 2023
2 Monaco Louis Chiron 1928, 1933
Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi 1972, 1973
United States Mario Andretti 1977, 1978
Brazil Ayrton Senna 1986, 1989
Finland Kimi Räikkönen 2005, 2008
Spain Fernando Alonso 2006, 2013
Sources:

Multiple winners (constructors)

Teams in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in the current season.
A pink background indicates an event that was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
A yellow background indicates an event that was part of the pre-war European Championship.

Wins Constructor Years won
12 Italy Ferrari 1954, 1974, 1981, 1990, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013
9 Germany Mercedes 1934, 1935, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
8 United Kingdom McLaren 1975, 1976, 1988, 1989, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005
United Kingdom Williams 1980, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2012
7 United Kingdom Lotus 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1986
5 Austria Red Bull 2010, 2011, 2016, 2022, 2023
3 Italy Alfa Romeo 1929, 1933, 1951
2 France Bugatti 1926, 1928
Sources:

Multiple winners (engine manufacturers)

Manufacturers in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in the current season.
A pink background indicates an event that was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
A yellow background indicates an event that was part of the pre-war European Championship.

Wins Manufacturer Years won
14 Germany Mercedes ** 1934, 1935, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
13 United States Ford * 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980
12 Italy Ferrari 1954, 1974, 1981, 1990, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013
11 France Renault 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012
3 Italy Alfa Romeo 1929, 1933, 1951
Japan Honda 1987, 1988, 1989
2 France Bugatti 1926, 1928
Sources:

* Designed and built by Cosworth, funded by Ford

** Between 1998 and 2005 designed and built by Ilmor, funded by Mercedes

By year

Circuito de Jerez (1985-1992)
Jerez, used 1986–1990
Circuito Permanente del Jarama 1980
Jarama, used 1967–1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976–1981
Montjuïc circuit
Montjuïc, alternating with Jarama 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975
Circuit Pedralbes
Pedralbes, used in 1951 and 1954
Circuito de Lasarte
Lasarte, used in 1926–1930, 1933–1935
Circuito de Sitges-Terramar.
Sitges-Terramar, used in 1923
Circuito de Guadarrama
Guadarrama, used in 1913
Spanish GP map
A map of all the venues that hosted the Spanish Grand Prix

A pink background indicates an event that was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
A yellow background indicates an event that was part of the pre-war European Championship.
A green background indicates an event that was part of the pre-war World Manufacturers' Championship.

Year Driver Constructor Location Report
1913† Spain Carlos de Salamanca Rolls-Royce Guadarrama Report *
1914

1922
Not held
1923 France Albert Divo Sunbeam Sitges-Terramar Report
1924

1925
Not held
1926 Italy Bartolomeo Costantini Bugatti Lasarte Report
1927 France Robert Benoist Delage Lasarte Report
1928 Monaco Louis Chiron Bugatti Lasarte Report *
1929 France Louis Rigal Alfa Romeo Report *
1930 Italy Achille Varzi Maserati Report
1931

1932
Not held
1933 Monaco Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo Lasarte Report
1934 Italy Luigi Fagioli Mercedes-Benz Report
1935 Germany Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz Lasarte Report
1936

1950
Not held
1951 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo Pedralbes Report
1952

1953
Not held
1954 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Ferrari Pedralbes Report
1955

1966
Not held
1967 United Kingdom Jim Clark Lotus-Cosworth Jarama Report
1968 United Kingdom Graham Hill Lotus-Ford Jarama Report
1969 United Kingdom Jackie Stewart Matra-Ford Montjuïc Report
1970 United Kingdom Jackie Stewart March-Ford Jarama Report
1971 United Kingdom Jackie Stewart Tyrrell-Ford Montjuïc Report
1972 Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus-Ford Jarama Report
1973 Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus-Ford Montjuïc Report
1974 Austria Niki Lauda Ferrari Jarama Report
1975 Germany Jochen Mass McLaren-Ford Montjuïc Report
1976 United Kingdom James Hunt McLaren-Ford Jarama Report
1977 United States Mario Andretti Lotus-Ford Report
1978 United States Mario Andretti Lotus-Ford Report
1979 France Patrick Depailler Ligier-Ford Report
1980 Australia Alan Jones Williams-Ford Jarama Report
1981 Canada Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari Jarama Report
1982

1985
Not held
1986 Brazil Ayrton Senna Lotus-Renault Jerez Report
1987 United Kingdom Nigel Mansell Williams-Honda Report
1988 France Alain Prost McLaren-Honda Report
1989 Brazil Ayrton Senna McLaren-Honda Report
1990 France Alain Prost Ferrari Report
1991 United Kingdom Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault Catalunya Report
1992 United Kingdom Nigel Mansell Williams-Renault Report
1993 France Alain Prost Williams-Renault Report
1994 United Kingdom Damon Hill Williams-Renault Report
1995 Germany Michael Schumacher Benetton-Renault Report
1996 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
1997 Canada Jacques Villeneuve Williams-Renault Report
1998 Finland Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes Report
1999 Finland Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes Report
2000 Finland Mika Häkkinen McLaren-Mercedes Report
2001 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
2002 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
2003 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
2004 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari Report
2005 Finland Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes Report
2006 Spain Fernando Alonso Renault Report
2007 Brazil Felipe Massa Ferrari Report
2008 Finland Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari Report
2009 United Kingdom Jenson Button Brawn-Mercedes Report
2010 Australia Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault Report
2011 Germany Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault Report
2012 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault Report
2013 Spain Fernando Alonso Ferrari Report
2014 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Report
2015 Germany Nico Rosberg Mercedes Report
2016 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer Report
2017 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Report
2018 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Report
2019 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Report
2020 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Report
2021 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Report
2022 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing-RBPT Report
2023 Netherlands Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing-Honda RBPT Report
Sources:

* Sports car race
† Officially named as RACE Grand Prix

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gran Premio de España para niños

  • San Sebastián Grand Prix
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