Poll: Spanish Grand Prix 2021, Catalunya - Race 4/23

[Shimmy]

Catalunya

When was the track built?
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was built as part of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics development programme. The foundation stone was laid in 1989, while the first car race was a round of the 1991 Spanish Touring Car Championship.

When was its first Grand Prix?
Two weeks after the touring cars raced at Barcelona, it was Formula 1’s turn. The track enjoyed a sensational debut, with Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna’s famous eyeball-to-eyeball drag race down the straight, before Mansell took the lead and drove on to victory.

What’s the circuit like?
The drivers love the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which is just as well, because they spend huge amounts of time pounding around it during winter testing. The track is a good mix of high- and low-speed corners, with the challenging Turn 3 right-hander a great chance to evaluate the balance of the car your team’s designers have given you to fight with for the season.

TV Times
Sky:

C4:
Sat - Quali Highlights 6.30pm
Sun - Race Highlights 6.30pm

Track Diagram & Information

Weather Forecast

2020 Race highlights

WDC Standings

Constructors' Championship Standings

Practice 1

Practice 2

Practice 3

Qualifying

Race

 

[englishpremier]

Nice early thread start. Cheers.

Boring track but there have been some interesting results here. Rain for sure would be fun. It's good that they didn't get to test here this year.

Also hasn't there been a change to one of the tuns for this year?

 

[SKILL]

Gotta love back to back race weekends \o/

I was thinking this would be a chance to get a 'better' view of how the Merc and Red Bull compare in the race, Bahrain was ok and Red Bull clearly had the better car there, Imola was wet and Portimao was super windy and low grip...

Still, not gonna complain with a wet race, always good

 

[turbot1984]

Nice one @Shimmy ... Norris for a podium?

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Going to be a yawnfest. I don't like the circuit

 

[Junglist]

Cheers @Shimmy

There's not many circuits I don't get excited for but this is certainly one of them. It's always such a procession.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I guess qualifying will dictate the race result.

 

[Mr Jack]

There's not many circuits I don't get excited for but this is certainly one of them. It's always such a procession.

I'll be interested to see whether not testing here makes a difference this year.

 

[SoliD]

Hopefully the rain will actually come, only thing that ever really saves this circuit. Have the changes to t1/2 been made already?

 

[Junglist]

I'll be interested to see whether not testing here makes a difference this year.

That's a good point actually. No testing data and even less practice sessions may spice things up. I doubt it though

 

[Mr Jack]

That's a good point actually. No testing data and even less practice sessions may spice things up. I doubt it though

My impression is that Barcelona is a pretty ordinary track, made into the dullest race of the year by the overfamiliarity of teams with the circuit that results from testing. I really think they should use a track that they don't race on for testing.

 

[Seblirium]

I'll be interested to see whether not testing here makes a difference this year.

Can't see it myself. Not to any meaningful difference for the fans anyway. But still, once those 5 lights go out I'll still be excited, until HAM BOT VER is nailed in

 

[SKILL]

Can't see it myself. Not to any meaningful difference for the fans anyway. But still, once those 5 lights go out I'll still be excited, until HAM BOT VER is nailed in

So T2 then

Really hoping the rain materialises, still be somewhat intereresting without rain as an indication of car performance but as a race not so much, but at least it's not Monaco...

Oh wait, that's next

 

[Mr Jack]

but at least it's not Monaco...

Don't worry, if you're missing Monaco, you can watch the Formula E cars tackle it on Saturday as well!

 

[Seblirium]

Don't worry, if you're missing Monaco, you can watch the Formula E cars tackle it on Saturday as well!

Just when it couldn't get any worse

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Can't see it myself. Not to any meaningful difference for the fans anyway. But still, once those 5 lights go out I'll still be excited, until HAM BOT VER is nailed in

This. I just don't see any surprises unless there is rain or a SC.

 

[Junglist]

Don't worry, if you're missing Monaco, you can watch the Formula E cars tackle it on Saturday as well!

I'm actually rather interested in this. First time a FE car has used a full F1 circuit, isn't it? My guess is it'll be 15-20 seconds slower than F1 at best.

 

[Journey]

Don't worry, if you're missing Monaco, you can watch the Formula E cars tackle it on Saturday as well!

Monaco is gonna be ace with the layout selected, probably way more exciting than the F1 will be on Sunday at this dull track.

 

[Mr Jack]

I'm actually rather interested in this.

Joking aside, me too. I suspect the track will suit FE more than modern F1.

 

[Armageus]

I'm actually rather interested in this. First time a FE car has used a full F1 circuit, isn't it? My guess is it'll be 15-20 seconds slower than F1 at best.

It's a slightly different layout afaik just to deliberately invalidate F1 laptime comparisons