Spanish GP Thread will contain Practice,Qualifying and Race spoilers

[Fernando]

First topic message reminder :



The Circuit de Catalunya plays host to the fifth round of the 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship with the teams returning to Europe after four fly-away events.

The circuit to the north of Barcelona is the closest that F1 has to a home track. The Spanish Grand Prix has been held here since 1991 but the track is also a favourite testing venue. Its popularity stems from the excellent facilities and a high-downforce layout that features a long straight and a combination of high-speed and low-speed cornering but otherwise provides medium tyre wear, medium brake wear and cooling, medium kerb sizes etc, This year F1 held two of its three pre-season tests at the circuit and the consensus is that a car that goes well in Barcelona will go well at most circuits.

Barcelona is a tough place to overtake, a characteristic demonstrated by the fact that the winner has only once come from beyond the front row and never during a dry race. Even with a reconfiguration in 2007 aimed at encouraging overtaking, this track still has a reputation as one of the most difficult permanent F1 circuits on which to pass. In 2011 the circuit was one of the most resistant to DRS-assisted overtaking, hence for this year the DRS zone has been lengthened.

F1 comes to Spain with Sebastian Vettel leading the Drivers’ Championship with 53 points and Red Bull Racing in front in the Constructors’ Championship with 101. The first four races of the year have been won by four different drivers from four different teams. While not unprecedented, the last time this happened was 1983, when the first four races were won by Nelson Piquet (Brabham), John Watson (McLaren), Alain Prost (Renault) and Patrick Tambay (Ferrari). The fifth race was won by Keke Rosberg for Williams and only at the sixth round did the Championship have a repeat winner.


CIRCUIT DATA

Circuit de Catalunya

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
60km/h during practice;
100km/h during race

CHANGES TO THE CIRCUIT SINCE 2011

A one-metre strip of artificial grass has been installed around the last part of the verge in Turn Three.

The kerb on the exit of Turn Five has been extended by 50 metres.

Spanish GP
Fast Facts
► The Circuit de Catalunya became the home of the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix in 1991, taking over from Jerez (1986-90). Only five circuits on the current F1 calendar have enjoyed a longer continuous run (Interlagos, Silverstone, Budapest, Monza, Monte Carlo). The race has also been held at Jarama (1967-8, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976-80), Montjuïc (1969, 1971, 1973, 1975) and Pedralbes (1951, 1954).
► Despite occasionally being referred to as the ‘Circuit de Barcelona’, the the Circuit de Catalunya is not within the City of Barcelona. It is located approximately 25km north of the Catalan capital in the municipality of Montmeló.
► Only once has a grand prix at the Circuit de Catalunya been won from beyond the front row. Michael Schumacher started third in 1996. The race took place in heavy rain and was Schumacher’s first win for Ferrari. There have been four wins from second place on the grid and 16 from pole position.
► This circuit has been kind to the reigning world champion. From 21 events, the man with the number one on his car has won 11 times.

► This is a bellweather venue: on 14 occasions the victorious driver has gone on to the win the Driver’s Championship and 16 times the winning team has gone on to lift the Constructors’ title at the end of the season.

► Ferrari are the constructor with the best record here. They have won at this track seven times, Williams have five victories, McLaren four, Red Bull and Benetton/Renault two each and Brawn one. For drivers, Michael Schumacher (1995. 1996, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004) is out in front with five victories. Mika Häkkinen (1998, 1999, 2000) has three wins, Kimi Räikkönen (2005, 2008) and Nigel Mansell (1991, 1992) two each. The race has also been won by Alain Prost (1993), Damon Hill (1994), Jacques Villeneuve (1997), Fernando Alonso (2006), Felipe Massa (2007), Jenson Button (2009), Mark Webber (2010) and Sebastian Vettel (2011).
Räikkönen is the only multiple winner to not have back-to-back victories. Both Mansell and Prost previously won the Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez.

► Kimi Räikkönen’s lap record of 1:21.670 was set during 2008 – this, however, is considerably slower than the times achieved by drivers prior to the chicane being inserted before the final corner. In its previous configuration, when the lap ended with two fast sweepers, Giancarlo Fisicella’s 2005 lap time of 1:15.64 held the record. The other major event held at the track, the Catalan MotoGP race, still uses the old configuration.
► In the last decade, the Spanish Grand Prix has been particularly susceptible to immediate form: only once (2008) has the winning driver in Spain failed to win either the preceding or the following race.

Spanish GP
Race Stewards
Biographies
GERD ENNSER
MEMBER OF THE DMSB’s EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR AUTOMOBILE SPORT, FORMULA ONE AND DTM STEWARD
Dr Gerd Ennser has successfully combined his formal education in law with his passion for motor racing. While still active as a racing driver he began helping out with the management of his local motor sport club and since 2006 has been a permanent steward at every round of Germany’s DTM championship. Since 2010 he has also worked as a Formula One steward. Dr Ennser, who has worked as a judge, a prosecutor and in the legal department of an automotive-industry company, has also been a member of the steering committee of German motor sport body, the DMSB, since spring 2010, where he is responsible for automobile sport. In addition, Dr Ennser is a board member of the South Bavaria Section of ADAC, Germany’s biggest auto club.

TOM KRISTENSEN
EIGHT TIMES LE MANS WINNER, GERMAN F3 CHAMPION (1991), JAPANESE F3 CHAMPION (1993) ALMS CHAMPION (2001)
Denmark’s Tom Kristensen is the most successful driver in the history of the Le Mans 24-Hour race. He has won the classic endurance event eight times, racing for Porsche, Audi and Bentley. Kristensen, 44, has a broad racing CV, having competed in single-seaters, touring cars and a range of sportscars. He has also tested in F1. A popular and respected figure, this year he is competing in the inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship, driving for Audi Sport Team Joest. Along with long-time team mates Dindo Capello and Allan McNish he won the first round of the championship at the 12 Hours of Sebring, making him the first man to win that famous race six times.


RADOVAN NOVAK

SEC. GENERAL OF THE ACCR (AUTOCLUB OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC); WORLD MOTOR SPORT COUNCIL MEMBER
Radovan Novak has been actively involved in motorsport since 1963 and rose to become Secretary General of the ACCR in 1990. Since 1991 he has held the role of President of the FIA Central European Zone and over the past two decades he has acted as a steward and observer in WRC and ERC rallies, EC autocross and rallycross events and WTCC and GT races. He has been a Formula One steward since 1994. From 1994 to 2006, he was a member of the FIA Off-road Commission and was made a member of the World Motor Sport Council in 1998. In 2000 he became a member of the Sport Commission at the Ministry of Sport of the Czech Republic. An avid racer and co-driver, Radovan Novak has won a number of Czech rallying events.

Source: FIA

[Bullsbok]

The punishment is correct.

If the other 23 drivers complete the qualifying session fairly, using the required specifications and fuel loads, and the other driver does not, then they have cheated. Intentionally or not, they have cheated.

Therefore they should be at the back of the grid.

Oh grow up will you .Nothing is going to amuse me more than seeing hamilton scythe through the field when the lights go green

[Trebs]

I didn't say I supported or didn't support Hamilton? Telling someone to 'grow up' isn't a logical argument, it's a flawed ad hominem argument.

[Critical_mass]

the punishment isnt correct 10 place drop would be correct and i dont believe for one minute if it was anyother driver, would they have been disqualified and put to the back of the grid.

[Trebs]

Hamilton's already been warned about this in 2010 though? He got a lenient penalty the first time, so surely now it's been repeated there should be a more serious penalty?

[SteveG]

The punishment is correct.

If the other 23 drivers complete the qualifying session fairly, using the required specifications and fuel loads, and the other driver does not, then they have cheated. Intentionally or not, they have cheated.

Therefore they should be at the back of the grid.

No its NOT correct. He was not underfuled in either Q1 or Q2 so his times are perfectly legal and should stand. In fact you could go as far as to say his first run in Q3 was perfectly legal. So the back of the grid is a complete joke.
Like most have said on this forum this is simply a case of the FIA wanting to throw the book at Mclaren. Nothing more. Northing less.

[Belgarion of Riva]

There were three qualifying sessions. He completed the first 2 within the rules, set a time in the next one within the rules. His pole lap should have been scratched off but he set a time whilst abiding by the rules, so why send him to the back of the grid?

The punishment is BS

[Gregers]

Good to see the Hamilton fan boys are out in force!

But why are we focussing on McLaran making yet another stupid mistake when we should be congratulating Maldonaldo for an awesome lap and once again getting supreme performance out of that Williams. I'd love him to finish on the podium, Lewis starting at the back will make the race interesting as well given the chance he'll crash.

Kimi
Romain
Pastor

For the podium are my picks, hopefully Perez to score some good points as well.

Finally can anyone confirm race start time?

[SteveG]

Good to see the Hamilton fan boys are out in force!

Don't think anyone on here is being a 'fan boy'. What people are complaining about is that the punishment doesnt fit the crime regardless of the driver. Had it been Alonso or anyone else I'd have still spat my tea out in astonishment. And what makes it even worse is the tyes as they are now will not allow for any glory drives from the back. They may as well have disqualified him altogether.

[dyrewolfe]

Dammitdammitdammitdammit!

McLaren seem to be doing their damndest to make me eat my words and prove john right...that they are becoming a shambles. With their recent pit stop mishaps and now this, its starting to look like they (or at least some individuals in the team) are trying to sabotage their season.

[dyrewolfe]

Hamilton's already been warned about this in 2010 though? He got a lenient penalty the first time, so surely now it's been repeated there should be a more serious penalty?

For starters, it was 2 years ago and for another thing, if they were only warned last time, then surely the appropriate next step is the standard punishment, rather than the draconian measure they decided to mete out?

[dyrewolfe]

the punishment isnt correct 10 place drop would be correct and i dont believe for one minute if it was anyother driver, would they have been disqualified and put to the back of the grid.

The conspiracy theorist in me agrees. You can't help but think if it had been anyone else, the punishment would have been far more lenient.

That said, the ultimate blame does lie with the team for messing up Hamilton's fuel load.

Unbelieveable! They change the rear left tyre man after a couple of costly pit stop errors and now this happens. Wonder if they'll replace the guy on the fuel rig?

[Critical_mass]

Gregers stop being blinkered - if you use your head and think of it logically you'll agree that back of the grid is unfair and OTT. 10th place AT MOST is what he deserved. Oh and before anyone blames Lewis, it was the team that made the mistake with underfuelling.

I wonder if this would have happened had Jenson made it into Q3, hmmmm... just a thought.

Does anyone know if Lewis can use a new set of tyres?

Though i do agree with Gregers regading Malanado, he did do a good job to get into 2nd.

[Critical_mass]

DW - true or not its certainly looking like Mclaren, or someone within are doing their up most to hold Lewis back. Maybe even Jenson, but from what ive noticed, where Jenson has had a bad putstop or session, some mishap happens to Lewis - pitstops in previous races that put lewis behind jenson. Spain - Jenson fails to make Q3, suddenly lewis put to the back of the grid

i said that wearing my tin foil cap, BUT just bear that in mind for future.

[dyrewolfe]

Lol - I will.

Its certainly an interesting (if disappointing) set of coincidences so far. If these "problems" keep occurring though its going to be very hard for the team to explain them away.

Dunno what Lewis' tyre situation is, but given that he's starting from the back, I believe he can change them if he has any new sets left...like anyone starting outside the top 10.

Going to be a strange race this one. Unless Jenson or Lewis show signs of making rapid progress up the field, I don't think I'm going to be too bothered about the outcome.

[Critical_mass]

Would be good to see one of the Lotus' or williams get a win. Will be keeping an eye on Alonso also.

Infact im going to put Alonso down to win.

[dyrewolfe]

I think he has to be favourite.

Good call on the Lotuses though. I'd like to see Romain or Kimi get the win. Also hoping for another good result for Perez.

[SteveG]

Dunno what Lewis' tyre situation is

I'm sure he has 2 sets of new Primes. Not sure about the options but I would guess they'll all be scrubbed.

[owen10ozzy]

If they are indeed something other than coincedences then the McClaren lads have chosen a strange time to start ruffling his feathers...or perhaps not.

I fully expect Lewis to be at another team next year....or if it continues perhaps another form of motorsport completely!!

[Critical_mass]

Yeah exactly. It depends on Mclarens intentions doesnt it. I mean it obcvious, if lewis hasnt signed a contract and mclaren want to keep him, then surely its their porogative to get things right. On the other hand if they dont want to keep him then its so much a porogative, more helping him decide to leave.

[SteveG]

Just listened to MW who said that the FIA actually got 1.3 ltrs from the car which means the penalty was for actually stopping the car which is what I thought. My only question is if he did bring the car back and there was subsequently less than 1 ltr extracted would the penalty have been just as severe ?

Also, it seems Mclaren misread the implications as they could've aborted the 2nd run to be on the safe side but chose to wing it.

[Critical_mass]

what?? thats even more ridiculous.

[owen10ozzy]

Exactly! Id like to say i will see him race in F1 next year but even that isnt a given. He must be thinking 'this F1 stuff is nonsense, FIA is a bunch of muppets'!....

I mean I understand and accept the penalty (very harsh as others have said he should of had his final qualifying session disqualified and started 10th)...however its the inconsistencies which annoy the heck out of me and actually make me question whether their is an agenda amongst the suits of the sport.

What is the difference between qualifying and the race?...Vettel failed to make it back to the pits in Bahrain yet nothing was done...if someone can tell me the difference and why he is not punished yet Lewis is please inform me...

Had Alonso had the same thing happen would he have been punished as severly if at all?...In Spain, a Spanish driver....in a sport sponsored by a spanish company (santander)...I DONT THINK SO SOMEHOW!!

[SteveG]

Had Alonso had the same thing happen would he have been punished as severly if at all?...In Spain, a Spanish driver....in a sport sponsored by a spanish company (santander)...I DONT THINK SO SOMEHOW!!

The stewards woudn't have got out alive.

[nathan]

Hamilton's already been warned about this in 2010 though? He got a lenient penalty the first time, so surely now it's been repeated there should be a more serious penalty?

lol, what Hamilton fuel's his own car now? I knew he was talented but not THAT talented!

[Critical_mass]

And when it happened back in 2010, he was warned but didnt break any rules - as long as a sample was able to be taken. The rules were then rewritten. so this is the first time mclaren have broken the rule. very harsh decision yesterday.

[The Special Juan]

Aside from that one overtake on Button, has Good Old Seb actually done anything?

[The Special Juan]

"It's like a fairy story"? Wow.

[Gregers]

What a race!

Pastor Maldonaldo was awesome, what a win!

[The Special Juan]

Safe to say I've never heard the Venezuelan National Anthem before.

[Gregers]

I thought it was a really good anthem!

Cannot stop smiling! :-D

[SteveG]

Happy bday Frank.
Great drive from Mal - didnt put a wheel wrong.

Brilliant drive from Hami who looked after his last set of tyres really well. One more lap and it wouldve been 7th. Pity he got stuck behind Massa for so long because it shortened his second stint and who knows it could've been even better. Loved the move on the two toro rosso boys. As for Button well he won't be happy about getting beat by a team mate who started last.

[Belgarion of Riva]

Excellent race, great win by Pastor with Alonso putting him under pressure.

Great drive by Hamilton, last to 8th ahead of his team mate as well.

[Critical_mass]

Very good race from Maldanado.. he deserved the win. Glad he wiped part of the smile off the Spanish crowd - no respect for the spanish crowd since the "face blackening" race.

Also, very good race by Hamilton, he made a 2 stop strategy work! Oh and i want all the Button fans (mainly AC if im honest) to note that Lewis started at the back and still beat button AND kept his tyres in better shape

[dyrewolfe]

Seconded Garion.

Fantastic drive from Pastor...have to say this race has changed my opinion of him. He managed to hold onto the back of Alonso after getting pipped at the start, put in quick laps around the pit stops to get ahead again and stay there. Also managed to nurse his tyres towards the end, despite heavy pressure from Alonso. All in all, one helluva drive.

I never imagined the Williams would be as competitive in the race as it was in quali. Williams and Renault have been a formidable partnership in the past...maybe they can be again.

Good drive from Alonso, again making the most of his machinery and running Maldonado very close. His 2nd place puts him joint first with Vettel in the title race, so Ferrari have all the incentive they need to keep pushing in terms of development.

Another good, consistent race for Lotus. If their strategy had just been slightly different, Kimi could have pipped Alonso for 2nd place, as it was he finished just half a second behind. They clearly have the pace - they just need to figure out how to make better use of it.

Brilliant drive by Kobayashi, getting past Rosberg for 5th.

Mercedes still looking off the pace for whatever reason and they don't appear to have made the kind of progress I was hoping for. Nico's win looking something of a fluke.

Disappointing race for Red Bull - I bet they're rueing their decisions not to let Webber run again in Q2 and not letting Vettel set a time in Q3. Saving tyres in quali appears to be not the way to go. At least Seb picked up enough points to stay joint top of the drivers' standings.

Disappointing race for McLaren too. Great drive from Hamilton to get up to 8th, starting from the back of the grid, but would have expected Button to finish higher than 9th. Tyre degradation seemed to be a real issue for them. As with Lotus, better strategies may have helped them finish higher.

Force India look to be going backwards, Hulkenberg managing a solitary point for his 10th place finish.

Anyway, congrats to Sir Frank, Pastor Maldonado and Williams F1 on their first race victory since 2004.

[Critical_mass]

I think this race really has shown how pathetic the tyres are. Webber coming in on lap 6. They need to last longer imo.

[Gregers]

It's that time again, the Gregers' awards!

Driver of the Day

As always 5 contenders for this award:

1) Pastor Maldonaldo - Supreme drive from the Venezuelan, showed extreme control to keep Alonso behind him and didn't put a wheel wrong all day.

2) Fernando Alonso - The "magician" does it again. Great start and maybe could have won it. All of this in a car that is probably still off the pace (See Massa for evidence)

3) Kimi Raikkonen - Almost grabbed 2nd at the death and once he got going he was at his best. Maybe his strategy cost him today.

4) Lewis Hamilton - Yes you read that right. He was brilliant today and silenced some of his critics. I thought the way he handled himself when questioned about the incident was extremely mature and cut his way up through the field AND looked after his tyres. One of his best IMO.

5) Kamui Kobayashi - Brilliant overtaking and showed that he deserves to be in that car. Some daring moves and kept it together to take home a very respectable 5th.


And the winner is... Pastor Maldonaldo

How could it be anyone else? Brilliant race, first pole, first win and on Franks birthday weekend.

----

And the flipside?

Turkey of the Day

Two contenders this week.

1) The McLaren pit crew AGAIN - Another circus of horrors this weekend

2) Michael Schumacher - First for causing the crash, second for calling Bruno an idiot

And the "winner" is.... Michael Schumacher!

[Gregers]

As for the tyres, I love them. Makes the race much more interesting

[dyrewolfe]

Holy crap! Fire in the Williams garage! Hope everyone's okay.

[dyrewolfe]

I think this race really has shown how pathetic the tyres are. Webber coming in on lap 6. They need to last longer imo.

Webber's tyres hadn't gone...he came in early to try and get the undercut on the cars ahead of him. Didn't work. Also don't forget the cars are a lot heavier at the start of races, so tyre wear will be heavier anyway.

Maldonado and Alonso made their final set of tyres last 20-odd laps. Also tyre wear varies from track to track.

[dyrewolfe]

Update on the Williams fire. They think one of the cars' KERS units exploded through not being discharged after the race.

@Gregers: I prefer to think a good driver shows a car's true potential: i.e. Alonso has shown the Ferrari is almost good enough to deliver race wins. Massa has performed well below par ever since his accident and for whatever reason, he simply seems incapable of getting back to his best.

[Guest]

Raikkonen seems to be having an impressive if not incredible first season back in Formula 1 (with Lotus-Renault).

[hmm is it?]

unfortunatly only got to see the highlights of the race today, this is definatly becoming a unpredicable season so far. although did vettel take his drive through penalty? cause i only saw massa actually go through the pits. and with vettels nose changed aswell i was suprised he managed to still finish so high up.

[Critical_mass]

yes vettel did, about one lap after massa.

[Belgarion of Riva]

That race has put to bed the myth that Hamilton can't manage his tyres. He made his strategy work in the midst of adversity and a silly pitstop.

Roll on Monaco

[Critical_mass]

That race has put to bed the myth that Hamilton can't manage his tyres. He made his strategy work in the midst of adversity and a silly pitstop.

Roll on Monaco

+1

I think Lewis really is/has turned a corner now and is learning.

Roll on Monaco - though i dont expect anyone else to win other then some one on the front row, given the nature (read how boring) the track is.

[Belgarion of Riva]

It would be a tough quali to call at Monaco, I hope Mclaren have learnt a lesson from last year. Ensure your driver is out early in Q3 and also make sure that when you call him to the pits, there's a pit crew.

Based on the performances this season I think Monaco quali will be a toss up between the Mclarens, the Lotus' and Alonso's Ferrari

[Fernando]

Monaco shall be a very interesting race if everyone is as bunched up as they are. Id expect Pastor will be very confident going into it and is actually very good round Monaco considering he dragged last years williams which was abysmal to 8th in qualifying

Id expect to see RB/Lotus up front tbh

[The Special Juan]

It would be a tough quali to call at Monaco, I hope Mclaren have learnt a lesson from last year. Ensure your driver is out early in Q3 and also make sure that when you call him to the pits, there's a pit crew.

Based on the performances this season I think Monaco quali will be a toss up between the Mclarens, the Lotus' and Alonso's Ferrari

And take all the stoppers out of the engines too.

[Critical_mass]

haha good call TSC.

Im goign to go with Mclaren and lotus at the front. But tbh im not looking forward to Monaco as such, we all know how boring its going to be.

[Guest]

Yes was a great race and congratulations to Maldonando for a fantastic drive all weekend.

@dyrewolf, I know we've had our differences but i'm glad your coming round to the fact that McLaren are simply embarrasing.

World class drive from Lewis and to be honest was fully expecting a great charge through the field, it somehow transforms him into something else when he has to go full out attack and throws caution to the wind. It's a shame we don't see it more often or from the other drivers but tyre management is the priority.

This season is simply astonishing. It's completely bonkers, up in the air and even Maldonando has declared this morning he can challenge for the title.....unbelievable. FIA wanted a show and boy they've got one. Is it the show I neccessarily wanted where we would see pure racing and drivers being able to showcase their natural speed and skill, no, however what we've got certainly doesnt disappoint.

As for the issues I have, it would be qualifying and the fact that on more than one occassion now we've seen quite a disappointing battle for first because of the tyres. Yes the midfield squabble is extraordinary but Raikkonen on Vettel in Bahrain & now Alonso on Maldonando has shown that these tyres just seem to deny us the chance of a fascinating duel after just one attack.

Other than that great weekend and glad nobody suffered serious injury/life threatening issue in the fire. Roll on Monaco!

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