The Circuit de Catalunya is like a home from home for the Formula 1 teams and drivers, they will spend 11 days on track this season (the most of any F1 circuit).
The sport's return to Spain also signals the start of the European season. The motor homes will return, the paddock will be a hive of activity and the fans will certainly be out in force.
Formula 1 returns after a three week break, with the teams ready to trial their newly created updates and the drivers being revitalised after a few weeks off.
Last time out in Bahrain, we saw Sebastian Vettel stamp down his authority on this years championship after a dominant drive in the desert. The Red Bull driver is certainly looking like the title favourite so far but we have a long way to go.
McLaren was one of the main talking points post-Bahrain after their two drivers battled closely together for much of the middle stint. They made contact a number of times and that created some heated spur-of-the-moment words from Jenson Button over team radio. Both he and team-mate Perez have apologised to the team but interestingly, not to each other.
Pirelli also announced some changes to their tyre compounds. The hard tyre will revert back to its 2012 spec to make it more durable but the discussed extra set failed to make the cut.
The Circuit de Catalunya is an experienced test and race venue, Formula 1 has raced at the track, which is situated just outside of Barcelona, since 1991 and the circuit hosted two winter test sessions earlier in the year.
The cold temperatures caused havoc for the Pirelli tyres during winter testing and no one really managed to show their true pace. Instead the sessions were made to trial new parts and to gather data on the new upgrades and tyre compounds.
Europe is often branded as the "home" of Formula 1 but the sport is moving away from its "home" routes and is taking a different direction at the moment, moving out to the east. Whilst seven European races remain on the calendar this season they are now severely outnumbered by the fly-away rounds.
There's always a more relaxed atmosphere when the Formula 1 circus return to Spain. It signals a "fresh start" for those who have time to gain and gives those at the front an idea of where they lie after all the new upgrades have been fitted. Nico Rosberg said prior to flying out to Spain that this will be our first glimpse of what the running order is.
With its high aerodynamic demand and varied mix of high, medium and low speed corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is the ideal place to kick off the European season.
With all teams set to bring significant upgrades to the Barcelona paddock, it is the perfect place to test and decide upon whether the changes are worth it or not. Those decisions are crucial as they can help to shape the season to come.
The 2.892 mile circuit kicks off with a long pit straight, the obvious place for the first DRS zone. A good launch from the grid, with minimal wheelspin, is key to catapult you down the straight, which is the longest run to the first corner in the sport.
We have seen on numerous occassions that a good drive off the line can move you up the order, Rubens Barrichello took the lead in 2009 after starting third and Fernando Alonso led into turn one after a storming start from fourth on the grid in 2010.
Turns one and two make up a fast chicane complex. First drivers negotiate a medium speed right before the full throttle left that is the second corner. Turn three follows shortly after and is a long, four g-force right which requires full confidence in the car. A number of lines can be taken here and some cars can take it flat out. A short straight leads the cars on to the fourth turn, a medium speed hairpin going right.
Another short burst of power leads the pack on to turn five, a slower and tighter left-hand hairpin that is a decent overtaking opportunity if the trailing car can stay close through the fourth corner. Turn six is ignored by Formula 1 cars and is flat out before the tricky, medium speed left-right chicane which is going uphill. Cars used to cut the latter part of the chicane before a higher kerb was added.
Then comes one of the fastest and most challenging corners at the Circuit de Catalunya, turn nine or "Campsa" as it is also called. This is a fast, sixth gear right-hander that is has a blind uphill entry but then a downhill exit. This leads the cars on to a long back straight which makes it crucial to get the ninth corner right.
The cars then break heavily for the tight turn 10 hairpin, a left-hand corner that also provides a good overtaking opportunity. We have seen some good moves at that corner in the past, particularly last year where Sebastian Vettel made a late lunge on Jenson Button stick.
After the high downforce, aerodynamically demanding sectors one and two, the cars then enter the contrastingly different sector three. This sector is twisty, technical and requires good traction and grip. The 11th corner is a flat out left that leads in to a near 180 degree and third gear right.
A short burst on the power leads cars on to the recently re-profiled (2007) turn 13 which contrasts heavily with the former fast, near flat-out right. The now tight, third gear right leads to the tight and tricky chicane that makes up the 14th and 15th turns on the track. After the left-right chicane comes the flat out right-hander which leads on to the pit straight.
The track has never produced an eye-catching race, it has usually been quite processional and lacked the "wow" factor that some of the other races produce, until last year. The 2012 round was dramatic for a number of reasons, some good and some bad. Pastor Maldonado managed to win from pole position, Hamilton originally had pole but he was disqualified from qualifying for running out of fuel.
Maldonado lost the lead to home favourite Fernando Alonso at turn one but a fantastic strategy call saw him undercut the Ferrari driver at the second round of pit stops. He led from there and crossed the line three seconds clear of the battling Alonso and Raikkonen. For a more in-depth look at the race check out my One Year Rewind.
The addition of DRS also helped to boost overtaking in both the 2011 and 2012 rounds, giving both races an excitement boost. Rewinding to the 1996 race, F1 fans and the awaiting paddock witnessed Michael Schumacher's first race win for Ferrari; the first of many now as we know.
The drive came in torrential rain, unusual for the Barcelona area, which proved tricky for all. Schumacher's nickname "Regenmeister" developed after his stunning debut win for the iconic Ferrari team despite dropping down at the start of the race.
10 years later it was Fernando Alonso who was winning the Spanish Grand Prix. I remember watching it as a 12-year-old and despite it not being the most dramatic of races, the atmosphere could be felt almost through the TV screen. Alonso winning at home made the crowd go wild, it was great to see as the country have not had an F1 race winner since.
Spanish Grand Prix Factfile
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Track Length: 2.892 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 16
Laps: 66
Gear changes per lap: 44
Full throttle: 58%
First race: 1991
Lap record: 1m21.670 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 2008
Tyre compounds: Medium and hard
2012 race winner: Pastor Maldonado
2012 pole position: Pastor Maldonado
2012 fastest lap: 1m26.250 Romain Grosjean Lotus
Live on: Sky Sports F1 and BBC One
 |
| (c) Sky Sports F1 |
Formula 1 returns after a three week break, with the teams ready to trial their newly created updates and the drivers being revitalised after a few weeks off.
Last time out in Bahrain, we saw Sebastian Vettel stamp down his authority on this years championship after a dominant drive in the desert. The Red Bull driver is certainly looking like the title favourite so far but we have a long way to go.
McLaren was one of the main talking points post-Bahrain after their two drivers battled closely together for much of the middle stint. They made contact a number of times and that created some heated spur-of-the-moment words from Jenson Button over team radio. Both he and team-mate Perez have apologised to the team but interestingly, not to each other.
 |
| (c) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team |
Pirelli also announced some changes to their tyre compounds. The hard tyre will revert back to its 2012 spec to make it more durable but the discussed extra set failed to make the cut.
The Circuit de Catalunya is an experienced test and race venue, Formula 1 has raced at the track, which is situated just outside of Barcelona, since 1991 and the circuit hosted two winter test sessions earlier in the year.
The cold temperatures caused havoc for the Pirelli tyres during winter testing and no one really managed to show their true pace. Instead the sessions were made to trial new parts and to gather data on the new upgrades and tyre compounds.
Europe is often branded as the "home" of Formula 1 but the sport is moving away from its "home" routes and is taking a different direction at the moment, moving out to the east. Whilst seven European races remain on the calendar this season they are now severely outnumbered by the fly-away rounds.
There's always a more relaxed atmosphere when the Formula 1 circus return to Spain. It signals a "fresh start" for those who have time to gain and gives those at the front an idea of where they lie after all the new upgrades have been fitted. Nico Rosberg said prior to flying out to Spain that this will be our first glimpse of what the running order is.
With its high aerodynamic demand and varied mix of high, medium and low speed corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is the ideal place to kick off the European season.
With all teams set to bring significant upgrades to the Barcelona paddock, it is the perfect place to test and decide upon whether the changes are worth it or not. Those decisions are crucial as they can help to shape the season to come.
The 2.892 mile circuit kicks off with a long pit straight, the obvious place for the first DRS zone. A good launch from the grid, with minimal wheelspin, is key to catapult you down the straight, which is the longest run to the first corner in the sport.
 |
| (c) Vodafone McLaren Mercedes |
We have seen on numerous occassions that a good drive off the line can move you up the order, Rubens Barrichello took the lead in 2009 after starting third and Fernando Alonso led into turn one after a storming start from fourth on the grid in 2010.
Turns one and two make up a fast chicane complex. First drivers negotiate a medium speed right before the full throttle left that is the second corner. Turn three follows shortly after and is a long, four g-force right which requires full confidence in the car. A number of lines can be taken here and some cars can take it flat out. A short straight leads the cars on to the fourth turn, a medium speed hairpin going right.
Another short burst of power leads the pack on to turn five, a slower and tighter left-hand hairpin that is a decent overtaking opportunity if the trailing car can stay close through the fourth corner. Turn six is ignored by Formula 1 cars and is flat out before the tricky, medium speed left-right chicane which is going uphill. Cars used to cut the latter part of the chicane before a higher kerb was added.
Then comes one of the fastest and most challenging corners at the Circuit de Catalunya, turn nine or "Campsa" as it is also called. This is a fast, sixth gear right-hander that is has a blind uphill entry but then a downhill exit. This leads the cars on to a long back straight which makes it crucial to get the ninth corner right.
The cars then break heavily for the tight turn 10 hairpin, a left-hand corner that also provides a good overtaking opportunity. We have seen some good moves at that corner in the past, particularly last year where Sebastian Vettel made a late lunge on Jenson Button stick.
After the high downforce, aerodynamically demanding sectors one and two, the cars then enter the contrastingly different sector three. This sector is twisty, technical and requires good traction and grip. The 11th corner is a flat out left that leads in to a near 180 degree and third gear right.
A short burst on the power leads cars on to the recently re-profiled (2007) turn 13 which contrasts heavily with the former fast, near flat-out right. The now tight, third gear right leads to the tight and tricky chicane that makes up the 14th and 15th turns on the track. After the left-right chicane comes the flat out right-hander which leads on to the pit straight.
 |
| (c) Sky Sports F1 |
Maldonado lost the lead to home favourite Fernando Alonso at turn one but a fantastic strategy call saw him undercut the Ferrari driver at the second round of pit stops. He led from there and crossed the line three seconds clear of the battling Alonso and Raikkonen. For a more in-depth look at the race check out my One Year Rewind.
The addition of DRS also helped to boost overtaking in both the 2011 and 2012 rounds, giving both races an excitement boost. Rewinding to the 1996 race, F1 fans and the awaiting paddock witnessed Michael Schumacher's first race win for Ferrari; the first of many now as we know.
The drive came in torrential rain, unusual for the Barcelona area, which proved tricky for all. Schumacher's nickname "Regenmeister" developed after his stunning debut win for the iconic Ferrari team despite dropping down at the start of the race.
10 years later it was Fernando Alonso who was winning the Spanish Grand Prix. I remember watching it as a 12-year-old and despite it not being the most dramatic of races, the atmosphere could be felt almost through the TV screen. Alonso winning at home made the crowd go wild, it was great to see as the country have not had an F1 race winner since.
Spanish Grand Prix Factfile
Location: Barcelona, Spain
 |
| (c) AllF1 |
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 16
Laps: 66
Gear changes per lap: 44
Full throttle: 58%
First race: 1991
Lap record: 1m21.670 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 2008
Tyre compounds: Medium and hard
2012 race winner: Pastor Maldonado
2012 pole position: Pastor Maldonado
2012 fastest lap: 1m26.250 Romain Grosjean Lotus
Live on: Sky Sports F1 and BBC One
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