Formula 1 2014: Round 5 - Spanish Grand Prix

MortGoldman

Here's my Spanish GP preview, ahead of me getting on a plane to it tomorrow!

Are we going to see a championship battle in 2014? Catalunya may be the race that tells us whether Mercedes can be challenged at all this year, and reveal the pattern for the rest of the season.

The teams have finally had the three week break closer to home that allows them to have made the changes that they've been privately screaming for since the start of the season. Each and every team will roll out updates to their aerodynamic packaging, ERS management software, driveability and mapping, and each team will have unlocked more pace from their 2014 offerings than they had for the opening races of the season. Will there be a competitor to Mercedes for the first time this season?

Mercedes have revealed a level of domination not seen before in Formula One. Pole position, fastest lap and race victory in each of the first four rounds is more than even the mighty MP4/4 of 1988, and F2004 of 2004 managed to achieve, and this is a frightening mountain to climb for Merc's pursuers. However, that's not to say that the likes of Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari & Williams have thought about giving up just yet on this season. Arguably, Merc have started the season as the team closest to their optimum level of performance, and the law of diminishing returns would suggest that this gives other squads a chance to close the gap, with Mercedes having less room to find ways to improve.

Let's not forget that Red Bull, despite a somewhat more calamitous start to the season compared to usual, have been reasonably competitive in all four races so far, scoring points and challenging for podiums. Compared to the pre-season tests where it was considered a good day if the car completed a handful of laps, Red Bull are already in a far stronger position at this point than predicted. With Renault running their power units at a level that would allow their clients to finish races, and even score some reasonably competitive results, the hope is there that huge leaps and bounds will have been made by the French manufacturer and may allow the strong Red Bull chassis to challenge the Mercs.

The reason I use the word 'hope' is that there are very few who would like to see the season utterly dominated by Hamilton & Rosberg, even by the fans of those drivers. A monstrous car belittles the achievements of the drivers piloting them, as has been found out by Sebastian Vettel & Jenson Button over the past few seasons. Even the prospect of an inter-team battle for the season appears to be fading, with the team themselves saying they would reconsider team orders, should they be required to. The Brackley squad, despite a crushingly impressive start to the 2009 season as Brawn GP, barely managed to scrape across the championship finishing line in first place, and that was due to them putting all their eggs in the Jenson Button basket, as Rubens Barrichello found out to his detriment at this very race back in 2009. With momentum on Hamilton's side, but points on Rosberg's, it doesn't quite yet make sense for Mercedes to throw their weight behind one driver, but a strong challenge from their rivals may yet change their opinion on that front.

Can fellow Mercedes-engined rivals such as McLaren and Williams rediscover some of their early-season form? McLaren's obvious current weakness is a lack of downforce, something that will be addressed by recent acquisitions from Red Bull's aero department, but whether changes can be made in time for the sweeping Barcelona circuit remains to be seen. The McLaren-Mercedes partnership, once so omnipresent at the front of the grid, is petering out and with revolution in the air at Woking, it could be Jenson Button who falls victim to the restructuring of the team, as Ron Dennis looks to the future. For him, the future for McLaren lies with Magnussen & Stoffel Van Doorne, and Jenson will need immense performances this season to ensure he stays for the beginning of a new era with Honda. Williams, on the other hand, don't appear to have any particular issues, just apparently lacking a little in pace. Their new found financial security and usual development skills should see their performances maintained or improved, although Force India will be the thorn in their side for the season, Force India with equally good development and an arguably stronger driver pairing.

For the sake of a close championship, I hope that Mercedes don't run away with things in Barcelona. Domination is rarely good for the sport, and we've had quite enough of it from Sebastian Vettel over the past 4 seasons. By all means, Mercedes, go ahead and win the championship, but Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren et all, make them work for it.

lolie

There's talk that Mclaren are to introduce a Lotus style nose this weekend, i hope to god they don't.
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mclaren-could-try-lotus-style-double-nose-in-spain-reports/

_rebelkid

Race
Preview
2014 SPANISH GRAND PRIX
9 –11 MAY 2014

The Circuit de Catalunya hosts the fifth round of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship as teams and drivers arrive in Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix. After four ‘flyaway’ races F1 returns to the comfortable familiarity of trucks and motorhomes for the start of the European season.

Barcelona is famed as a bellwether circuit: cars that race well here are expected to race well in any and all conditions. The logic behind this is that the Circuit de Catalunya provides a well-rounded examination of every aspect of car design, requiring maximum downforce, strong power delivery, excellent traction and handling.

Particularly interesting is how Pirelli’s Hard and Medium compounds will cope with the conditions. The Circuit de Catalunya has a combination of high-energy corners, an abrasive surface and only one long straight on which tyres can cool. In warm weather degradation is expected to be high, with the left side of the car particularly vulnerable. While the tyre manufacturer does not predict a repeat of last year’s four-stop strategies, the powerful new cars are nevertheless expected to work tyres hard.

Mercedes arrive at the Spanish Grand Prix in ominous form. With a clean sweep of pole positions and victories, they are very much the team to beat in 2014. Lewis Hamilton has been the driver to watch so far this year, winning the last three races – but it is team-mate Nico Rosberg who leads the Championship.

Barcelona, however, is the race at which teams traditionally reveal their first major upgrade of the season. Though 2014 has seen a constant stream of traffic between the factories and the circuit, with upgrades appearing on a daily basis, most teams have circled this race for something more substantial. While Mercedes may hold too much of an advantage for the moment, down the order there is much potential for movement
(via the FIA)

Session Times:

Thursday 8th May
14:00 to 14:45 – F1: Driver Press Conference (Sky Sports F1)
21:45 to 22:00 – F1: Preview (BBC Radio 5 Live)
23:30 to 23:45 – F1: Gear Up for Spain (Sky Sports F1)

Friday 9th May
08:45 to 11:00 – F1: Practice 1 (Sky Sports F1)
08:55 to 10:35 – F1: Practice 1 (BBC Two)
11:00 to 11:50 – GP2: Practice (Sky Sports F1)
12:45 to 14:50 – F1: Practice 2 (Sky Sports F1)
13:00 to 14:35 – F1: Practice 2 (BBC Two)
14:50 to 15:30 – GP2: Qualifying (Sky Sports F1)
16:00 to 16:45 – F1: Team Press Conference (Sky Sports F1)
17:00 to 18:00 – The F1 Show (Sky Sports F1)
18:00 to 19:00 – GP Heroes: Peter Revson (Sky Sports F1)
18:45 to 19:00 – Inside F1 (BBC News Channel)

Saturday 10th May
07:25 to 08:45 – Historic Grand Prix of Monaco Qualifying (Motors TV)
07:45 to 08:20 – GP3: Qualifying (Sky Sports F1)
09:10 to 11:15 – Historic Grand Prix of Monaco Qualifying (Motors TV)
09:45 to 11:15 – F1: Practice 3 (Sky Sports F1)
09:55 to 11:05 – F1: Practice 3 (BBC Two)
12:00 to 14:35 – F1: Qualifying (Sky Sports F1)
12:20 to 14:30 – F1: Qualifying (BBC One)
13:25 to 17:25 – Historic Grand Prix of Monaco Qualifying (Motors TV)
14:35 to 15:50 – GP2: Race 1 (Sky Sports F1)
16:15 to 17:00 – GP3: Race 1 (Sky Sports F1)
18:45 to 19:00 – Inside F1 (BBC News Channel)

Sunday 11th May
08:20 to 09:10 – GP3: Race 2 (Sky Sports F1)
08:25 to 11:20 – Historic Grand Prix of Monaco (Motors TV)
09:30 to 10:30 – GP2: Race 2 (Sky Sports F1)
11:00 to 11:30 – Memories of Senna (Sky Sports F1)
11:30 to 16:15 – F1: Race (Sky Sports F1)
- 11:30 – Track Parade
- 12:00 – Race
- 15:30 – Paddock Live
12:15 to 15:15 – F1: Race (BBC One)
12:55 to 17:40 – Historic Grand Prix of Monaco (Motors TV)
15:15 to 16:15 – F1: Forum (BBC Red Button)
16:15 to 17:15 – GP Heroes: Sir Jackie Stewart (Sky Sports F1)
17:15 to 17:45 – Senna: The Driving Force (Sky Sports F1)

(via f1broadcastingblog)

Length of lap:
4.655km
Lap record
1:21.670 (Kimi Räikkönen, Ferrari, 2008)
Start line/finish line offset
0.126km
Total number of race laps
66
Total race distance
307.104km
Pitlane speed limits
80km/h in practice, qualifying and the race

CIRCUIT NOTES

► The kerb on the approach to Turn One has been renewed and the verge behind it is now laid with asphalt.
► The kerbs on the exit of Turns Nine and 12 have been renewed and the artificial grass behind them extended.
► A 7m wide strip of gravel around the outside of Turn 11 has been replaced with asphalt.

DRS ZONES

► Two DRS zones will be in use at the Circuit de Catalunya. The first has a detection point 86m before Turn Nine and an activation point 40m after. DRS detection point two is at the Safety Car line, with activation 157m after
Turn 16.

Track Map:

Fast Facts
► The F1 World Championship Spanish Grand Prix has been held at the Circuit de Catalunya every year since the circuit first opened in 1991. The race has also been held at Jerez (1986-’90), Jarama (1968, ’70, ’72, ’74, 1976-’79, 1981), Montjuïc (1969, ’71, ’73, ’75) and the Pedralbes Street Circuit (1951, ’54).

► Barcelona is the most familiar circuit for F1 teams – but for the first time this century, they arrive for the Spanish Grand Prix without pre-season testing data from the Circuit de Catalunya – this being the first time it has not featured as a winter testing venue.

► Jenson Button holds the record for the number of test kilometres completed at this circuit with a mighty 34,706km. The record for most days testing completed, however, belongs to David Coulthard with 118.

► Pastor Maldonado’s victory for Williams at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix makes the Venezuelan the most recent driver to take a maiden F1 victory. Nico Rosberg joined the list two races earlier, winning the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix and before that it was Mark Webber with victory at the 2009 German Grand Prix.

► While Maldonado may add to his tally, he currently shares with Jochen Mass the distinction of being a winner of the Spanish Grand Prix with only that solitary victory to his name. Mass took victory in the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, racing for McLaren at Montjuïc.

► Pole position is a priority at this circuit. On 17 of the 23 occassions the Spanish Grand Prix has been held at the Circuit de Catalunya, the driver starting in pole position has won the race. Damon Hill, Mika Häkkinen, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel have won from P2, Michael Schumacher from P3 and Fernando Alonso last year from P5.

► Alonso is the only Spanish winner of the F1 World Championship Spanish Grand Prix. Alonso took victory last year for Ferrari, using a four-stop strategy to advance from his third-row grid slot. Alonso, driving for Renault, also won the race in 2006, on that occasion starting from pole position.

► Mercedes’ four straight wins is the most dominant start to the season since Renault managed the same in 2005. They have some way to go before threatening the all-time record of 11, claimed by McLaren in 1988.

► The 2014 Grands Prix of Malaysia, Bahrain and China mark the first time Lewis Hamilton has achieved three consecutive victories. Of the current field, Jenson Button managed a string of four wins in 2009, Fernando Alonso managed four in 2006 and three in 2005, while Sebastian Vettel leads the way with strings of nine (2013), four (2010-11 and 2012) and three in a row on two other occasions in 2011.

► Excluding the returning/new races in Austria and Russia, the Spanish Grand Prix is one of only two current races at which Lewis Hamilton has not stood on the top step. The other is Brazil.







Team Quotes:

With the opening flyaway leg of the season complete, the F1 paddock returns to Europe next weekend for the fifth round of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship, the Formula 1 Gran Premio de Espana Pirelli 2014 in Barcelona. Those involved discuss their prospects for the event...

Mercedes
Nico Rosberg
2013 Qualifying - 1st, 2013 Race - 6th
"The Spanish Grand Prix is the first race of the season on European soil after four exciting races at various circuits overseas. This is where the next phase of the season begins and there is probably no other track in the world that I know as well as the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. I also have some good memories of race weekends in Barcelona. Last year, for example, I started from pole position so I'm looking forward to going back there again and maybe repeating that particular feat. It's also only now that we can slowly begin to get an idea of how the different cars stack up in terms of performance. Each team will have been pushing hard during the break since the last race to find some extra performance from new parts. So it will certainly be an interesting weekend and hopefully an exciting one for the fans too."

Lewis Hamilton
2013 Qualifying - 2nd, 2013 Race - 12th
"It's been good to have a bit of a break between races: for us as drivers and also for the team who have been working flat out for so many weeks. But after three great weekends in Malaysia, Bahrain and China I'm obviously keen to get on to the next one and continue that positive momentum into the next leg of the season. Barcelona is a great place to have the first European round on the calendar. It's a circuit we all know very well - although this is the first time in my Formula One career that I have raced there without testing at the circuit during the winter - and the Spanish crowds are really passionate about their racing. It's great to see so many people in the grandstands over the weekend. I've never won in Barcelona but I'm in a good place right now and I'm hoping that this will be the year, although it's clear who the fans' favourite will be! The circuit is fantastic, our car has performed well so far and I'm really looking forward to a good race."

Paddy Lowe, Mercedes team executive director (technical)
"Barcelona follows the first three-week gap of the season after a near constant testing and racing itinerary since late January. For our trackside personnel in particular, it's offered some respite and a chance to recharge the batteries for what is going to be a long year with the in-season tests also now on the calendar. The break in on-track action also presents an opportunity to work on the cars and to bring more new parts to the next event than you would see during back-to-back race weekends. Aside from being the first European race of the season, Barcelona is classically seen as the first big milestone for upgrades from the teams and we can expect to see quite a range of developments throughout the pit lane. The circuit itself is highly demanding on the cars: arguably requiring the best combination of power, handling and aerodynamics seen during the entire season. It's often said that a car which performs well in Barcelona will be a great car for the season, so we're looking forward to seeing where we stand relative to the competition. There has been no sense of complacency or backing off just because our car has shown strong performance in the opening few races. The objective is to not only match, but to better the development rate of our rivals and to build on our lead in both championships."

Toto Wolff, Mercedes team executive director
"We are now four races into the 2014 season and hold a strong position in both championships. However, the first European round of the year always provides a prime opportunity for teams to arrive with improvements to their cars. Of course, we are no different to any other team in that respect and our aim must be to increase the advantage we enjoyed at the last race in China. We have seen already that our rivals are relentless in their efforts to close the gap. As a team, it is up to us to rise to that challenge: to take that relentless mentality to an even greater extent than those around us. If we are to build a sustained level of success in this sport, any small advantage must be seen as a platform upon which to build a bigger advantage. We head to Barcelona on good form and in high spirits. But, most importantly, we approach the next race weekend as we approached the first: in the knowledge that there is still a long season ahead and anything can happen."

Sauber
Adrian Sutil
2013 Qualifying - 13th, 2013 Race - 13th
"All of us drivers know the track in Barcelona quite well as everyone has tested there very often. The Circuit de Catalunya is a nice track with high aerodynamic demands on the car. There are some fast corners and only one long straight. The last sector is quite tight, therefore slower and not easy to drive. We have to find a compromise in terms of the car's aerodynamic set-up. With one setting the first and second sectors will be good, but the last sector will be a disadvantage, or vice versa. We will be travelling to Barcelona with some car updates, which I hope will help us to improve our performance. Obviously, I expect more than in the last races. After three retirements in a row, we need to finish this race. I am looking forward, and I think that our performance will be stronger than in the previous races."

Esteban Gutierrez
2013 Qualifying - 16th, 2013 Race - 11th
"The Spanish Grand Prix is the beginning of the European season, and where updates to the car will be introduced. For us it is an opportunity to improve our level of competitiveness. I have faith in my team, everyone is doing their best. We are positive and expect to make a step forward. Regarding the track, I really enjoy driving on the Circuit de Catalunya. In every category I have raced in, I have always enjoyed the atmosphere there. Last year was very positive for me because I did the fastest lap in the race. I am fully prepared to go for the maximum and to get the most out of the car."

Giedo van der Garde, test and reserve driver
"It is nice to come back to Europe and especially to Barcelona. The Circuit de Catalunya is a track that I like a lot. We will have some updates and our C33 will weigh less, so it will be interesting to see how the car behaves. I am positive, and I am keen to get back behind the wheel. After FP1 on Friday I will have a full day of testing on Tuesday, so I am looking forward to that."

Giampaolo Dall'Ara, Sauber head of track engineering
"At the Spanish Grand Prix both C33s will have essential revisions, following an extensive weight reduction and a significant aerodynamic update. This update consists of a modified front wing and a new engine cover, new side-pod fins and deflectors, as well as a number of other aerodynamic changes. Besides that, we will also have a software improvement which will enable us to use the potential of the power unit in a better way. We expect a busy Friday at the track while tuning the set-up to the new package. Making the best use of the tyre compounds will also be a challenge, as Pirelli's choice to allocate medium and hard tyres appears to be conservative. We very much look forward to converting everyone's efforts into improved lap times. However, we know that all the other teams are progressing as well, so it will be interesting to see where we stand. We will certainly do our best in order to race for points."

Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel
2013 Qualifying - 3rd, 2013 Race - 4th
“Formula One returns to Europe with the Spanish GP. A nice side aspect of that is that we are back in the Energy Station, which provides a lot of space for us and the team - it will become a little bit like home over the next few weeks! The Circuit de Catalunya is varied with 180 degree bends, fast, sweeping corners and elevation changes. There isn’t much opportunity to overtake, so getting a good start position in qualifying will be crucial. The long, fast curves of Montmelo mean that it will suit a car with highly efficient aerodynamics. The track is very challenging on the tyres because of the same very fast corners, so lots of pit stops are likely in the race.”

Daniel Ricciardo
2013 Qualifying - 11th, 2013 Race - 10th
“I’ve always enjoyed the Circuit de Catalunya and think it’s a great track. It’s a ‘bit of everything’ circuit - which is why it’s proved so popular as a testing venue. The first sector is really nice, with the corners all flowing together and the second sector, while a bit more technical, is also really interesting. The final sector is less good but you can understand why they changed it; I assume the old layout was more exciting. It’s a good track to defend on, but one that demands a lot of concentration and the right set-up. The trade-off is that you need fairly low downforce on the long main straight but that compromises the rest of your lap and makes the car difficult to control. Finding the right balance isn’t simple.”

Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne
2013 Qualifying - 12th, 2013 Race - DNF
“This race marks the start of the European season and it’s very important from one point of view - no more jet lag and a lot less flying! It’s also a circuit that all the drivers know very well, having raced there many times in the junior categories and so usually the gaps between the teams are a bit smaller than at other tracks. I like it and have good memories from winning races there in the past. It’s the sort of track where the global picture of the car makes the difference, in terms of its balance and aero package, as it’s not particularly demanding on the brakes or engine. I like the city of Barcelona, it’s got a good vibe to it and, on top of that, it’s not so far from France, so quite a few fans make the trip for this first race in Europe.”

Daniil Kvyat
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
“Like all the drivers, I have spent a lot of time at this circuit, racing and testing. I’ve had some good results there, I particularly remember a Eurocup race in 2011, when I started from 20th and finished third. There were also some painful memories, when I lost the Eurocup there one year later, but overall, I have learned many valuable lessons at the Catalunya circuit. I’m looking forward to being back in Europe and having some shorter flights. It will all feel more familiar to me. Here at this track, you need to find the right compromise between the high speed and slow sections, so finding the right balance in the set-up is the key to a quick lap. I have no idea how the track will suit the STR9, except that so far this year, we have been okay in the high-speed corners. We won’t know until Friday.”

Force India
Nico Hulkenberg
2013 Qualifying - 15th, 2013 Race - 15th
“Even though we know the place inside out, it remains a tough, tricky circuit and one of those places where it’s especially important to optimise the car balance. If you don’t feel totally comfortable with the car it really hurts your lap time. Barcelona is the true test for downforce because of the quick corners in the first and second sectors. Traction is also important in the final part of the lap with the low-speed corners and we should be strong there.”

Sergio Perez
2013 Qualifying - 9th, 2013 Race - 9th
“I love coming back to Europe to race on some of the classic circuits. I enjoy Barcelona and for me it’s one of the best circuits on the whole calendar. It’s very complete with a mix of everything and some very long, quick corners. It’s tough physically, especially on the neck with so many right hand corners, but it’s a fun place to drive a Formula One car. It’s always a race where teams bring new updates so it’s going to be interesting to see how everyone will perform there.”

Dr Vijay Mallya, Force India team principal
“It’s encouraging that we have performed well across a wide range of circuits, so I’m optimistic that we can maintain our competitive form in Barcelona. China has never been an especially strong track for us, so to come away with ten points was a very good effort. We also expect our car to perform better in warmer conditions and there are some upcoming races that will play more to our strengths. At the same time we know that Formula One never stands still and Barcelona is always a pivotal moment in the development race, but I’m optimistic we can keep up our momentum.”

Pirelli
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director
“It’s often said that Barcelona provides the most accurate representation of the form a season will take, because a car that performs well in Barcelona should perform well everywhere. The same is true of the tyres, because the Spanish circuit is one of the most demanding circuits we race on all year. Long and fast corners such as Turn Three put a huge amount of energy into the tyres, as a result of which degradation is high. The track surface is also quite abrasive, and ambient temperatures can be high, which increase the workload on the tyres further. In the past we’ve seen up to four pit stops in Spain. With the changes we have made to the tyres this year, we would now hope to see no more than three for the majority of drivers. We made a solid start to our preparations for next year with the first dedicated in-season tyre tests in Bahrain. We’re looking forward to building on that work with four teams in Spain after the Grand Prix.”

Lotus
Romain Grosjean
2013 Qualifying - 7th, 2013 Race - DNF
“Barcelona means the start of the European season. That also means we can travel less, which is good because I’ve now seen every single movie on the plane! But seriously it’s easier for the engineers to bring new parts to the track and it’s always nice to see European fans. I’m happy to be back in Barcelona. I have some good memories and it’s a track where I finished fourth back in 2012. It is a circuit everyone knows well, so as a team we go to Barcelona intent on getting much more performance from the car. We are concentrating on this goal. We just have to push as hard as we can and stay as positive as possible even when the going gets tough. As a team we have to stay united, it will make us stronger as a unit.”

Pastor Maldonado
2013 Qualifying - 18th, 2013 Race - 14th
“The circuit has certainly been very good for me in the past, with the win in 2012 being the highlight. A top ten in qualifying will be our first focus and then it’ll be a very tough race in terms of tyre management, with a lot of pit stops and strategy. Last year most did four stops but Lotus F1 Team were able to make three stops to finish second. Overall Catalunya is tough for the cars, drivers and teams because everyone knows the track so well and you have to fight for every thousandth of a second. There are obviously races that are much closer to Venezuela in a geographic sense, but Barcelona is special for me because there is a huge community of Venezuelans close by and of course my mother tongue is Spanish. So I hope to see a lot of flags around the track and some great support as usual. It’s always good to race in front of your fans and I am determined to continue my good record there.

“I’m expecting to be more competitive. It will be very important to start scoring some points, but if everything goes well and we get some luck too then a top five is possible. It is going to be difficult - there are the two Mercedes and two Red Bulls and then others who have shown good pace in recent races like Force India - but if we get 100 percent from the car we can fight all of the other teams and come away with something good to build on. Clearly we expect the updates to be positive, but it’s difficult to say how big the relative improvement will be because everybody will bring updates and nothing stands still in Formula One. The bottom line is that we must keep improving and pushing.”

Nick Chester, Lotus technical director
“We’ve got further improvements on engine mapping, which should give us another step forward. We’ve got a new cooling and bodywork package coming - quite a big upgrade - plus some updates to the rear wing and various other bodywork parts. All of the developments that we’ve brought for the car so far have been an improvement, which is highly satisfying and validates the hard work being done back at the factory. We also received more horsepower from Renault Sport F1 in China and I hope we’ll get a further step-up in Barcelona, which will make a massive difference.”

McLaren
Jenson Button
2013 Qualifying - 14th, 2013 Race - 8th
"Formula One's springtime return to Europe is always one of my favourite times of the year. The paddock is filled with familiar faces, the travel shortens, and the team motorhomes - where we'll live and work for much of the next five months - return to the scene. It always signals a bit of a fresh start to the season, and it'll be an important one for us.

"The Circuit de Catalunya is a demanding racetrack for any car - its combination of long, sweeping corners places the emphasis on aerodynamic performance, which is an area where we're lacking at the moment. It's always been a place where a competitive car will shine and a less-competitive one will struggle.

"For us, it's not simply about bringing new parts to the circuit: it's about understanding and unlocking the car's secrets, and using that understanding to take bigger steps with performance. We're still at the early stages with our car, and, for us, it's less about the components that we fit to it, and more about the bigger picture - finding a useful direction, gaining trust in our measurements and pushing ahead. We all know that this team has the capacity to develop a car through a season, so I hope and trust that we'll start to push forwards again soon."

Kevin Magnussen
2013 Qualifying - n/a, 2013 Race - n/a
"As a team, we've had a difficult couple of races, so I think we all head to Spain hopeful of better fortunes. I think the problems we encountered in China have definitely given us the data and the impetus we need to make some changes, so I'm keen to get back in the car on Friday and see if we've made a step forward. The Circuit de Catalunya is a great track, and a place I really enjoy - I won both races in the World Series there last October - and I'm looking forward to driving a Formula One car for the first time.

"I also think the post-race test will be useful - Barcelona is one of the most critical circuits on the calendar for aerodynamics, so we couldn't ask for a better venue at which to evaluate and refine our car."

Eric Boullier, McLaren racing director
"For us, the weekend will be about learning, and hopefully moving on from our disappointing performance in China last month. The root of our under-performance has been comprehensively analysed; we know the areas where our package falls short, and we've taken steps - both short- and long-term - to address those. While not all of those will be in evidence in Barcelona this weekend, they mark the start of a fresh push and spirit within the whole organisation.

"One thing we can be sure of is that Jenson and Kevin will both be pushing to the limit. In China, it was difficult to watch two hard-pressing drives go unrewarded, but both drivers performed fantastically in Shanghai, and only lost out on points due to the inefficiency of our car.

"The McLaren Technology Centre has been bustling with intense focus and activity since our return from China, and I'm hopeful that we are on the right track to steadily start pushing ourselves back towards the front."

Williams
Felipe Massa
2013 Qualifying - 6th, 2013 Race - 3rd
"I have won in Barcelona before which is important as it means I can enjoy the race a little more. I know what it takes to win at the circuit so I can have a little confidence when driving there. Downforce is really important in Spain so we have to make sure the aerodynamic set-up is correct. We have been working on developing the car in this area. Barcelona is historically a place where teams bring upgrades, but as every team does this it's a case of whose upgrades make the most difference. I am really looking forward to racing again in Europe."

Valtteri Bottas
2013 Qualifying - 17th, 2013 Race - 16th
"As a team we are looking forward to Spain, once we are in Europe it's easier to bring upgrades out over a race weekend. The time gap between China and Spain has been really important as we have had time to improve the car, although how much we have moved forward is hard to say until we drive it. We haven't driven in Spain with the current car, which is unusual as in previous years we completed a lot of laps in testing, so we all know the layout well, but will need to work on the set-up."

Rob Smedley, Williams head of vehicle performance
"Spain is a good leveller. Getting back to Europe gives teams the opportunity to bring further upgrades, which we will also be doing. Barcelona and the following two or three races gives everyone a good indication of how the rest of the season will play out and who has made the most progress since the start of the season. The teams and drivers know the track well, meaning we can gain a lot of accurate data on how the upgrades are working. This knowledge is also very useful when back in factory; it means we can replicate the track and conditions very closely. The track itself has a very good mix of long straights, some high speed corners like Turn 3 and some more technical and slower sections. Turn 3 is important for managing tyre wear so it's something engineers and drivers have to monitor throughout the weekend. We feel prepared going in to the weekend and are now interested to see where we are in comparison to our competitors."

(via formula1.com)

FIA Press Conference Schedule

Thursday, May 08 1400 hrs:

Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
Max Chilton (Marussia)
Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
Kevin Magnussen (McLaren)
Pastor Maldonado (Lotus)
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

Friday, May 09 1600 hrs:

Cyril Abiteboul (Caterham)
John Booth (Marussia)
Robert Fernley (Force India)
Monisha Kaltenborn (Sauber)
Franz Tost (Toro Rosso)

Saturday, May 10 Post Qualifying
Three fastest Drivers from Qualifying

Sunday, May 11 Post Race
First three finishing Drivers

Race Stats:

The Spanish GP was first raced back in 1951 at Pedralbes, since then it’s been at four different circuits and raced 43 times, making this Sunday the 44th Spanish GP and the 24th at Catalunya.

Fifteen of the 23 races have been won from pole position and 21 from the front row of the grid.

Only twice has the winning driver started below second, Fernando Alonso last year won from fifth and Michael Schumacher from third in 1996.

The Circuit de Catalunya is a 4.655km long track with 16 corners, the race is 66 laps long giving a total race distance of 307.230km.

14 different drivers have won at the track and Ferrari and Michael Schumacher are of course the most successful at the track, with 8 wins for Ferrari and 6 for Schumacher.

The lap record was set by Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari in 2008, a time of 1:21.670 and an average speed of 205kph or 128mph.

Every pole, win and fastest lap so far has been taken by a Mercedes car and I can’t see it changing yet.

If Mercedes were to win the Spanish GP it would be the first time in F1 that they have won five races in a row, they have however won seven in a row in the pre-war European Championship.

Romain Grosjean will be entering his 50th GP this weekend, and an unlikely podium at the Spanish GP would be his 10th in F1.

Mercedes have finished on the podium 39 times, and are likely to make it 40 soon.

The Silly Stats
Bullfighting is, or was, a popular sport in Spain but has now been banned in the Catalonia region which the circuit is in. However the average bull can run at 20mph meaning that it would take 8:43.688 to do a lap of the Spanish GP circuit.

The average adult bull is slightly heavier than an F1 car, with the car having a minimum weight of 642kg and bulls being between 500 and 1000kg.

(via f1statblog.co.uk)

Jordan 199

Was watching some of the '96 race. Schumi was superb in the wet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8DvylZN0r8

Only six drivers finished that race too.

Zcott

That was a great drive in a truly terrible car. And it looked bad at the time too.

Going Strong

Zcott wrote: »

That was a great drive in a truly terrible car. And it looked bad at the time too.

IIRC, Ferrari went by the letter of the regulations when designing the cockpit area and surrounds. There was a lot of complaining that other teams, Williams & Jordan to mention two, went by the spirit of the regulations instead by choosing to take the reference point from the sidepods rather than the actual tub.

_rebelkid

Ferrari and Mercedes are going to run "megaphone" style exhausts this weekend.


Some lovely detail on the Force India FW elements.


McLaren running their usual nose this weekend. No spotting of a tusk nose as of yet.


More images available from Auto Motor und Sport.

antodeco

Funnily enough, when I was at the McLaren pit earlier, there was no nose on it at all. It looked really odd. I thought they may have not put it on yet because it's a new nose!

Infoanon

Jordan 191 wrote: »

Was watching some of the '96 race. Schumi was superb in the wet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8DvylZN0r8

Only six drivers finished that race too.

On Sky Sports F1 now

flazio

Practice graphics came up a good bit late in BBC and Setanta. Same thing on Sky?

_rebelkid

flazio wrote: »

Practice graphics came up a good bit late in BBC and Setanta. Same thing on Sky?

Yep. Problem with FOM.

_rebelkid

Sebastian Vettel will not run in FP2, giving the team a chance to to try and fix the electrical issue with car No.1. What's interesting is that RBR changed the chassis to the one from testing... which had all the electrical problems, and what happens? Full Electrical shutdown.

SnowDrifts

_rebelkid wrote: »

Sebastian Vettel will not run in FP2, giving the team a chance to to try and fix the electrical issue with car No.1. What's interesting is that RBR changed the chassis to the one from testing... which had all the electrical problems, and what happens? Full Electrical shutdown.

Sebastian has already used 3 of his electronic control units but I think today's issue is the wiring loom so he should be ok.

Also Maldonado is raking up the tally for used parts...

https://twitter.com/ScarbsF1/status/464665244447830017/photo/1

_rebelkid

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Sebastian has already used 3 of his electronic control units but I think today's issue is the wiring loom so he should be ok.

Also Maldonado is raking up the tally for used parts...

https://twitter.com/ScarbsF1/status/464665244447830017/photo/1

Yeah, not many left to chose.

ZiabR

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Sebastian has already used 3 of his electronic control units but I think today's issue is the wiring loom so he should be ok.

Also Maldonado is raking up the tally for used parts...

https://twitter.com/ScarbsF1/status/464665244447830017/photo/1

Seb has had alot of bad luck this year so far, but even when his car is working Daniel has had the better of him in my opinion. Nice to see McLaren running ok.

bitemybanger

I have a feeling something mad will happen during this GP like Hamilton and Rosberg taking each other out in lap 1 or something similar. hope not but ya know when you just one of those feelings deep down?:(

MortGoldman

Have to publicly thank frostie500 for his help today. I'm new to the paddock, and he was a great help to me today in figuring out how things work. Thanks frostie!

Zcott

I went to a test session once as media and it was a fantastic experience; I'd love to do it again sometime. Do you guys need a photographer...? ;-)

Bugatti

bitemybanger wrote: »

I have a feeling something mad will happen during this GP like Hamilton and Rosberg taking each other out in lap 1 or something similar. hope not but ya know when you just one of those feelings deep down?:(

Yeah I'd very much expect Hamilton and Rosberg will have a coming together at some stage this season....but hopefully its much later in the year. Because if it does happen I'd say Mercedes will be using team orders for the rest of the season.

bnt

Maldonado ... isn't that Spanish for "bad driver"?

_rebelkid

Going Strong

bnt wrote: »

Maldonado ... isn't that Spanish for "bad driver"?

He won't be repeating his race win this weekend then.

_rebelkid

If only he knew....

Going Strong

Someone should ask Lotus the same question.

Ghost Train

Thought Maldonado's use of steering looked a bit odd when he was trying to recover the car, using both hands with full left lock

ScrubsfanChris

Coultard was saying it looked like he was trying to grab the clutch paddle....

Zcott

Yeah, I suspect he grabbed the clutch so that the car wouldn't stall. Not that it matters when you smack the front into the wall.

Interesting dynamic for Q2; Hamilton complaining the car is a nightmare to drive...

bnt

I know that F1 cars used to have an automatic anti-stall system that kicked in the clutch when revs got too low e.g. when Richard Hammon tried to drive the Renault on Top Gear around 2006. If that's still in the cars, then what was Maldonado doing, grabbing for the clutch?

_rebelkid

bnt wrote: »

I know that F1 cars used to have an automatic anti-stall system that kicked in the clutch when revs got too low e.g. when Richard Hammon tried to drive the Renault on Top Gear around 2006. If that's still in the cars, then what was Maldonado doing, grabbing for the clutch?

Anti-Stall kicks in if the revs are too low for the first clutch. The driver still has the second clutch engaged, but that's for higher revs. The Anti-Stall prevents the driver from over slipping the first clutch and force-engages it.

The Anti-Stall won't e engaged if the car is running normally, so Maldoado needed to engage one of the clutches to prevent stalling... even though he was heading for the wall...

_rebelkid

Jordan 199

Another stunning performance from Lewis.

_rebelkid

Zcott

Lewis looked mighty in that last lap, I don't think Nico could challenge him. And to be honest, I think that's a microcosm of the whole season...

Mike Litoris

Hamilton did look mighty on that lap! I'd say we're in for another big battle between him and Rosberg if the team allow it.


Good stuff out of Grosjean and Bottas though I reckon they'll go backwards during the race and the Ferrari's will be battling for 4th and it will be interesting to see how Vettle gets on.


Maldonardo starting from the back is bad news for everyone.

Charlie-Bravo

Mike Litoris wrote: »

Maldonardo starting from the back is bad news for everyone.

Spain has the longest run down to Turn 1 of the season, that coupled with any problems with a brake-by-wire system of any car could have catastrophic implications for all cars as they gather in the first corner.

_rebelkid

astrofluff wrote: »

Spain has the longest run down to Turn 1 of the season, that coupled with any problems with a brake-by-wire system of any car could have catastrophic implications for all cars as they gather in the first corner.

I'll just leave this here...

youreadthat

To be fair he was at the back last race and had a solid enough time of it.

Killinator

Vettel's gotten a 5 place drop for a gearbox change

http://m.skysports.com/article/formula1//9305754

Hehe.

_rebelkid

Maldonado believes the crash was "not down to driver error"

Going Strong

He's brilliant. Blames the car, the team, the tyres, the track, the fan in the third row of Stand E for wearing the wrong colour underpants, but he's the innocent party. Same Maldonado every time. If he shot you, he'd claim it was your own fault for standing in the way of the bullet.

_rebelkid

I don't even know...

bnt

Niki Lauda's got the right idea about Lewis & Nico: "do what you like, just don't crash in to each other".

Expecting Nico to lose spots and that'll be the race to Hammo.

Thought that was needless by Vettel on Magnussen there.

Max_Charger

Looking forward to that gif of Kimi drifting out of the corner.

Amazing how Vettel doesn't carve through the field when he doesn't have 2 seconds a lap performance advantage. :pac:

Jordan 199

Another penalty for Pastor.

Real pity Ricciardo couldn't stay ahead of Bottas. Doubt he would've really challenged the Mercs but he would've made them go a bit quicker.

2011

Vettle on a 3 stop so ....

2011

Deleted User wrote: »

Real pity Ricciardo couldn't stay ahead of Bottas. Doubt he would've really challenged the Mercs but he would've made them go a bit quicker.

Yes. I am surprised how close he is driving to Bottas.