2012 Santander Spanish Grand Prix preview

After four unbelievably exciting and unpredictable opening races for the 2012 Formula 1 World Championship, the teams and drivers now head back home to Europe for round five of the Championship and the 54th running of the Spanish Grand Prix.

First held at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya in 1991, the track has been a favorite amongst teams for testing as well as racing, a fact which has sometimes resulted in slightly less-than-exciting races. However, in 2012 with nothing easily predictable, this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix could well surprise many as Pirelli’s tyres once again dominate the show.

Throughout the first four races of the season, four different drivers have won a race racing for four different teams. Jenson Button for McLaren, Fernando Alonso for Ferrari, Nico Rosberg for Mercedes and Sebastian Vettel for Red Bull. With the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber yet to win a race this season, both will be eager to join the four winners’ this weekend.

The Circuit de Catalunya was built during the build-up to the 1992 Olympic games, and even hosted the start and finish of the time trial cycling event during the games. It has been on the calendar since 1991, when it replaced Jerez as the host of the Spanish Grand Prix. The first Spanish Grand Prix was held back in 1913, however it wasn’t held to the then traditional Grand Prix rules and was instead run to Touring Car rules. The race was held on a road circuit near Madrid, and was eventually won by Spaniard Carlos de Salamanca, who is one of only two Spanish drivers’ to win the Spanish Grand Prix, the other being current driver Fernando Alonso.

In the history of the Spanish Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher is the most successful driver around the circuit having won six races in his career (’95, ’96, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’04). The 7-time World Champion won all but one of those six races with Ferrari, who are the most successful Constructor of the Spanish Grand Prix, having won a staggering eleven races in their long career (’54, ’74, ’81, ’90, ’96, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’04, ’07, ’08).

The Spanish Grand Prix has been won from pole at the last nine of out ten races, with the exception being last season. This was Pirelli’s first season in Formula 1, and the Italian tyre supplier will be eager to have that trend continue with another unpredictable Grand Prix weekend.

Former racing driver and 8-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen will be the driver steward for the Spanish Grand Prix, a role which both Johnny Herbert and Emanuele Pirro have undertaken already in 2012. The DRS zone for this weekends race is in the exact same location as 2011, down the start/finish straight, however due to the lack of DRS-assisted overtaking last season the zone has been extended this year.

With Lotus highly tipped for a possible race victory this weekend, and all eyes undoubtedly on the likes of Hamilton, Alonso and Vettel, this years Spanish Grand Prix has all the ingredients to be yet another stunning chapter in the 2012 season.

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