Circuit de Catalunya facts & statsThe Circuit de Catalunya is one of Formula 1s most popular racetracks. Its eclectic mix of corners and straights provides a thorough workout for the cars, which is why the teams conducted eight days of pre-season testing at the track in February.The 4.6-mile circuit is the fifth venue to host the Spanish Grand Prix (the others being Pedralbes, Jarama, Montjuich Park and Jerez) and its one of the legacies of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. The track was one of the citys numerous building projects during the build-up to the summer Olympics and it staged its first grand prix in September 91, just weeks after it was completed. Its been a regular fixture on the F1 calendar ever since.Two of the tracks standout features are its abrasive track surface and its long, high-speed corners. These make the Circuit de Catalunya particularly demanding on the tyres, which is why Pirelli is bringing its two hardest rubber compoundsMedium and Hardto the race.McLaren is the second most successful constructor in the history of the Spanish Grand Prix. It has won the race eight times, the last of those victories coming in 2005. Jenson has one victory in the race, in 09, and Checo has a best result of ninth, in 11.Race distance 66 laps (307.104km/190.825 miles)Start time 14:00 (local)/12:00 (GMT)Circuit length 4.655km/2.892 miles2012 winner Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34) 66 laps in 1hr39m09.145s (185.838km/h)2012 pole Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34) 1m22.285s (203.658km/h)Lap record Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F2008) 1m21.670s (205.121km/h)McLaren at the Spanish Grand PrixWins 8 (1975, 76, 88, 89, 98, 99, 00, 05)
Poles 8 (1976, 88, 89, 90, 91, 98, 99, 05)Fastest laps 7 (1976, 88, 89, 98, 00, 10, 11)Car 5: Jenson Button
Age 33 (January 19 1980)GPs 232Wins 15Poles 8FLs 8The start of the European season in Spain always feels like a fresh start to the year. Suddenly, youre back in Europe, the motorhomes and transporters are all lined up in the paddock, and it feels like a second home for everyone.Its been difficult for the team to make consistent progress through the first four races, but I think returning to a circuit where we undertook two of the pre-season tests will give us a useful benchmark of our progress so far.Theres been a lot of talk about the importance of next weekends upgrades; but, as with every upgrade, theyre simply part of the series of continuous improvement that are made across the season. As always, therell be elements of it that work, elements that perhaps work in a different way to what wed anticipated, and elements that dont work, or perhaps require further work. Thats life in modern Formula 1.So Im pragmatic about what well discover next weekend. Of course, Im hopeful that itll move us a step closer towards the destination.Car 6: Sergio PerezAge 23 (January 26 1990)GPs 41Wins 0Poles 0FLs 2Im looking forward to having my first European race for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes.The Circuit de Catalunya is a place all grand prix drivers know well because we do a lot of miles there in the winter. Itll be a good place to test the car as its a very demanding circuit aerodynamically. We have a lot of historic data from our testing there, and well get a good read on our performance when we start testing next Friday.
Its quite a demanding circuit aerodynamically, too, so it should be a very useful weekend for us in terms of understanding the MP4-28 and the direction forwards that we choose to take.I hope that the introduction of two DRS zones at Barcelona will help improve the racing. We saw in both China and Bahrain that Formula 1 cars can race really closely if they are under the right conditions; Barcelona has always been a difficult circuit for overtaking, so I hope the new regulations will improve matters. It would be great for the thousands in the grandstands if there were some spectacular overtaking along the main straight.Martin WhitmarshTeam principal, Vodafone McLaren MercedesThe pace of life in Formula 1 never relents, and its incredible to think that our return to Europe next week will see a quarter of the 2013 championship already gone.As with last year, form at the start of the season is still somewhat volatile and unpredictable; last years Spanish Grand Prix saw an unexpected but worthy winner in Pastor Maldonado, and while it would be difficult to see another left-field runner emerging as a contender for victory, the formbook is still hard to read.We are pushing ahead to develop MP4-28, and will be hoping for a productive weekend that will allow us to gather a useful data set for the races ahead.A McLaren 50 classic momentSpanish Grand Prix, 12 May 1968McLarens first Formula 1 podium comes courtesy of Denny Hulme in the second race of the 1968 World Championship. The Bear qualifies on the front row in his M7A, one place ahead of team-mate Bruce McLaren, and he finishes second in the race.Its the first Spanish Grand Prix for 14 years, but the F1 circus gathers at the 2.1-mile Jarama circuit in somber mood. Double world champion Jim Clark has recently been killed in a Formula 2 race in Germany and his loss is felt by everyone.Im stunned, says Bruce McLaren. We all felt Jimmy was in a way invincible. To be killed in an accident with an F2 car is almost unacceptable. But tragically its true.Against this backdrop the 90-lap Spanish Grand Prix gets underway in blistering 30-degree heat. It becomes a two-hour race of attrition, with Chris Amon, Pedro Rodriguez and Jean-Pierre Beltoise all sharing the lead, but they are forced into retirement and Graham Hill inherits victory late in the race. The Englishman cruises to an easy win when Hulmes M7A loses second gear in the closing laps and he falls 19s adrift at the chequered flag.This race marks the beginning of a successful period for McLaren. Bruce gives his eponymous team its first F1 win a month later, at Spa, and the highlight of the 68 season comes at Mont Tremblant in Canada, where the McLarens finish 1-2. Come seasons end, the team lies second in the constructors championship.
