The fifth round of the 2016 Formula 1 season takes place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain.
It is the 46th running of the Spanish Grand Prix and the 26th time that the race has been held at the challenging track.
The Spanish GP properly kicks off the start of the European F1 season, following the eventful last race weekend in Russia. A short break has allowed drivers to enjoy some time off, while teams have been busy preparing upgrades for the event.
As well as the race weekend itself, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will also host a two-day in-season test on the Tuesday and Wednesday. This will give teams the chance to try out new parts and give a few young drivers the chance to hit the track at the wheel of F1 machinery.
The 2016 field knows the Barcelona circuit well, due to its frequent use as a pre-season test track, previous races and competing in feeder championships. Teams have already completed plenty of running at the track with their current cars after the winter tests in February and March.
Spain hosted its first championship F1 race in 1951 and has been a permanent fixture on the calendar since 1968 (apart from 1982-1985). The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been its home since 1991 and remains one of the best barometers of aerodynamic performance.
The layout has a bit of everything, making it a perfect test venue. It has a variety of corner types, but it does lack a big braking zone. Overtaking is notoriously difficult, although the addition of DRS back in 2011 has helped, with the first and 10th corners on the circuit being the best places to make a move. Because of this, qualifying is even more important than usual.
A lap of the 2.892 mile layout starts on the long pit straight, which is where the first DRS zone will be located. The pit exit is to the right. The run from the grid to Turn 1 is one of the longest on the calendar, so a good start is crucial. The opening two corners make up a medium-speed right-left chicane.
The third turn is undoubtedly the trickiest on the circuit. It is a long right-hander that leads onto a short straight before Turn 4, with the first sector ending just prior to the braking zone. It is another long right-hander that punishes the tyres, with drivers needing to take an early apex to carry as much speed as possible through the corner and downhill to Turn 5, a slow left-hand hairpin.
A short flat-out burst – including the Turn 6 kink - follows before the medium-speed, uphill left-right chicane that makes up the seventh and eighth corners. Drivers would previously cut the second part of the complex but a large kerb was placed there to bring a stop to this trend.
Turn 9 is a fast, long right-hander that propels cars onto the back straight, which is where the second DRS zone will be positioned. The approach to the corner is uphill, but due to the downhill exit the apex is blind. Carrying good speed through this turn is important for the following straight and the heavy braking zone for Turn 10, which is where sector three starts.
The slow left-hand hairpin is another good overtaking place and is followed by the flat-out kink of Turn 11. The 12th corner is a long right-hander, with Turn 13 being another straight-forward right-hander. It is followed by the slow left-right chicane introduced in 2007. Good traction is needed around the final part of the lap. The pit entry cuts the inside of the final corner, which is a fast right-hander.
The track surface is abrasive and the long, fast corners put a lot of energy through the tyres. Pirelli has nominated the hard, medium and soft compounds for this weekend. The weather is usually warm and dry, with the appearance of rain being very rare.
Mercedes heads to Spain at the front of the field. Ferrari appeared closer at the start of the season, but it is tricky to judge just how big the gap is to the leading Silver Arrows. Williams and Red Bull look set to fight it out to be the third quickest team, with Toro Rosso, Force India, Haas, Renault and McLaren next up. Sauber and Manor have so far been battling near the back of the field.
The 2016 Spanish GP will also be Max Verstappen’s first race as a Red Bull Racing driver after the shock seat swap with Daniil Kvyat, who returns to Toro Rosso.
Spanish Grand Prix Fact File
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Track length: 2.892 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 16
Laps: 66
First race: 1951 (1991 - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya)
Lap record: Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 2008, 1:21.670
Tyre compounds: Hard, medium and soft
2015 race winner: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2015 pole position: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:24.681
2015 fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:28.270
Live on: Sky Sports F1 and Channel 4
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
The Spanish GP properly kicks off the start of the European F1 season, following the eventful last race weekend in Russia. A short break has allowed drivers to enjoy some time off, while teams have been busy preparing upgrades for the event.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
As well as the race weekend itself, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will also host a two-day in-season test on the Tuesday and Wednesday. This will give teams the chance to try out new parts and give a few young drivers the chance to hit the track at the wheel of F1 machinery.
The 2016 field knows the Barcelona circuit well, due to its frequent use as a pre-season test track, previous races and competing in feeder championships. Teams have already completed plenty of running at the track with their current cars after the winter tests in February and March.
Spain hosted its first championship F1 race in 1951 and has been a permanent fixture on the calendar since 1968 (apart from 1982-1985). The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been its home since 1991 and remains one of the best barometers of aerodynamic performance.
The layout has a bit of everything, making it a perfect test venue. It has a variety of corner types, but it does lack a big braking zone. Overtaking is notoriously difficult, although the addition of DRS back in 2011 has helped, with the first and 10th corners on the circuit being the best places to make a move. Because of this, qualifying is even more important than usual.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
A lap of the 2.892 mile layout starts on the long pit straight, which is where the first DRS zone will be located. The pit exit is to the right. The run from the grid to Turn 1 is one of the longest on the calendar, so a good start is crucial. The opening two corners make up a medium-speed right-left chicane.
The third turn is undoubtedly the trickiest on the circuit. It is a long right-hander that leads onto a short straight before Turn 4, with the first sector ending just prior to the braking zone. It is another long right-hander that punishes the tyres, with drivers needing to take an early apex to carry as much speed as possible through the corner and downhill to Turn 5, a slow left-hand hairpin.
A short flat-out burst – including the Turn 6 kink - follows before the medium-speed, uphill left-right chicane that makes up the seventh and eighth corners. Drivers would previously cut the second part of the complex but a large kerb was placed there to bring a stop to this trend.
Turn 9 is a fast, long right-hander that propels cars onto the back straight, which is where the second DRS zone will be positioned. The approach to the corner is uphill, but due to the downhill exit the apex is blind. Carrying good speed through this turn is important for the following straight and the heavy braking zone for Turn 10, which is where sector three starts.
 |
| © Octane Photographic |
The slow left-hand hairpin is another good overtaking place and is followed by the flat-out kink of Turn 11. The 12th corner is a long right-hander, with Turn 13 being another straight-forward right-hander. It is followed by the slow left-right chicane introduced in 2007. Good traction is needed around the final part of the lap. The pit entry cuts the inside of the final corner, which is a fast right-hander.
The track surface is abrasive and the long, fast corners put a lot of energy through the tyres. Pirelli has nominated the hard, medium and soft compounds for this weekend. The weather is usually warm and dry, with the appearance of rain being very rare.
Mercedes heads to Spain at the front of the field. Ferrari appeared closer at the start of the season, but it is tricky to judge just how big the gap is to the leading Silver Arrows. Williams and Red Bull look set to fight it out to be the third quickest team, with Toro Rosso, Force India, Haas, Renault and McLaren next up. Sauber and Manor have so far been battling near the back of the field.
The 2016 Spanish GP will also be Max Verstappen’s first race as a Red Bull Racing driver after the shock seat swap with Daniil Kvyat, who returns to Toro Rosso.
Spanish Grand Prix Fact File
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Track length: 2.892 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 16
Laps: 66
First race: 1951 (1991 - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya)
Lap record: Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 2008, 1:21.670
Tyre compounds: Hard, medium and soft
2015 race winner: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2015 pole position: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:24.681
2015 fastest lap: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:28.270
Live on: Sky Sports F1 and Channel 4
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