The Spanish Grand Prix will take place at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona – who holds the fastest lap at this venue?
F1 action moves to Barcelona weekend for the much anticipated Spanish Grand Prix. It will take place at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, a venue which has been the home of this Grand Prix since 1991.
The Spanish GP has a long history and this is set to be the 64th edition of this Grand Prix. Let us take a look at which driver registered the fastest F1 lap in the Spanish GP’s illustrious history.
The official lap record for the current Grand Prix circuit layout is 1:18.149, set by Max Verstappen driving for Red Bull Racing in the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix. When it comes to the other key stats at this circuit – Ferrari holds the record of most number of wins (12) among constructors. Mercedes (9) are a close second while McLaren and Williams jointly occupy the third spot with 8 race wins each.
In case of the drivers, the record of the most wins at the Spanish Grand Prix is jointly held by two all-time legends of the sport – Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. Michael Schumacher holds the record for the most number of poles (7) in the Spanish GP while Schumacher and Hamilton jointly have the most number of wins (6).
Why is it challenging to register fast timings at the Spanish GP?
The Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona is seen as an all-rounder circuit owing to its unique layout consisting of long straights and a variety of corners. The wind direction at the circuit can change drastically during the day – a significant factor given the importance of aerodynamics to modern Formula One cars. The track spans over a total length of 4.675 km with just two DRS zones which make overtaking quite a difficult task.
The Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona has two DRS Zones – one on the main straight leading to the first chicane and another after turn nine, on the back straight leading to turn 10. The circuit covers a total of 66 laps with the track having 16 turns. While overtaking is slightly difficult, the Spanish GP has witnessed a number of thrilling races over the years and a lot depends on the quality of the drivers.
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