1086th F1 GRAND PRIX | 63rd SPANISH GRAND PRIX | 33rd GRAND PRIX AT CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA
2022 POLESITTER: CHARLES LECLERC | 2022 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
On the calendar since 1991, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been host of the Spanish Grand Prix for over 30 years. The 2023 Spanish Grand Prix is set to take place on June 2-4.
2023 SPANISH GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday 2nd June
Free Practice 1 – 1:30pm Local Time / 12:30pm UK Time
Free Practice 2 – 5pm Local Time / 4pm UK Time
Saturday 3rd June
Free Practice 3 – 12:30pm Local Time / 11:30am UK Time
Qualifying – 4pm Local Time / 3pm UK Time
Sunday 4th June
The 2023 Spanish Grand Prix – 3pm Local Time / 2pm UK Time
2023 SPANISH GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
At the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix, Spain becomes the eighth nation to have hosted 60 rounds of the World Championship.
This weekend, Fernando Alonso will become the first driver to make 20 appearances at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. He’s currently tied for most starts at the track with Rubens Barrichello, Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen.
The Spanish Grand Prix moves to a June slot in 2023. It’s the first time that the event will be held in the month of June since Michael Schumacher memorably took his first Ferrari win in wet conditions in 1996.
Victory for Lewis Hamilton at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix would see him overtake Michael Schumacher and set a new outright record for most victories at the Spanish Grand Prix.
If Lewis Hamilton or George Russell take victory in the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes will equal Ferrari as the team to have won the most races at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Ferrari could extend their record to nine wins at the track.
READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2023 SPANISH GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST YEAR?
Formula 1 will bypass the final chicane for the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix, reverting to the layout last used in this section of track in 2006. In addition, the Turn 1 run off area has been extended, the artificial grass has been removed at Turn 3 and additional barriers have been installed at Turns 13 and 14.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2023 SPANISH GRAND PRIX?
There will be two DRS zones at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. There were also two DRS zones at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix.
CIRCUIT DE BARCELONA-CATALUNYA TRACK GUIDE
The Spanish Grand Prix moved homes plenty of times before it settled at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 1991. The track is well known by drivers and mechanics thanks to extensive testing.
Spain has one of the longest histories with motorsport, with the first Spanish Grand Prix taking place in 1913 on a road circuit near Madrid. Another race was held ten years later, after the First World War, at the Autódromo de Sitges-Terramar, before Grand Prix racing found a more permanent home at the Circuito Lasarte. The racing was popular, but was halted when the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936.
Racing returned in the 1950s, as Spain hosted a Formula 1 race for the first time at the Pedralbes circuit. Between 1968 and 1975, the sport visited the Circuito del Jarama and the Montjuïc circuit on a yearly rotation, before the latter hosted the Spanish Grand Prix consistently between 1976 and 1981 following a crash which killed four spectators at the Montjuïc circuit.
In 1986, the new Jerez circuit was built to host the Spanish Grand Prix, though this only lasted for five seasons before the event moved to another new venue – the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2023 SPANISH GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers on Friday morning before the opening practice session. The drivers appearing in the press conference are:
Group A
Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo)
Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
George Russell (Mercedes)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Group B
Nyck De Vries (AlphaTauri)
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Logan Sargeant (Williams)
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams on Saturday morning. The team members will appear in the press conference will be: Franz Tost (AlphaTauri), Mike Krack (Aston Martin), Frederic Vasseur (Ferrari) and Andrea Stella (McLaren).
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2023 SPANISH GRAND PRIX?
Niels Wittich will be the race director at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2023 SPANISH GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is Derek Warwick.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2023 SPANISH GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli will supply the teams with the C1, C2 and C3 compounds at the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix. The C1, C2 and C3 compounds were used in 2022.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE SPANISH GRAND PRIX?
Ferrari were on form at Catalunya but reliability issues for Charles Leclerc saw Max Verstappen take victory at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix – though it was far from an easy afternoon for the Dutchman.
Ferrari headed all three practice sessions at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and continued to post impressive lap times during the qualifying hour. Charles Leclerc secured pole position, despite a spin at the final chicane on his first lap in Q3. Max Verstappen’s Saturday afternoon was hampered by engine issues, a lack of power meaning he was unable to challenge for pole in the closing stages of Q3. Meanwhile, home favourite Fernando Alonso was eliminated in Q1 along with Sebastian Vettel, while Mick Schumacher reached Q3 for the first time.
Leclerc and Verstappen led away from the front row of the grid, with the Red Bull finding no way past the Ferrari in the opening laps. There was contact between Lewis Hamilton and Kevin Magnussen at Turn 3, compromising both drivers’ races.
Carlos Sainz found himself in the gravel – a familiar sight early in the 2022 season – spinning off the track of his own accord. Two laps later, Verstappen also found himself in the gravel at the same part of track. Both drivers managed to continue, though both lost positions, with George Russell and Sergio Perez both passing Verstappen.
Verstappen struggled with intermittent DRS issues as he battled with Russell to take back second place. With Verstappen struggling, it seemed as though Ferrari would have a relatively easy run to victory – that was until Leclerc’s car gave in and he was forced to retire from the lead. Russell assumed the lead as his battle with Verstappen continued. When Verstappen pitted, Russell came under pressure from the other Red Bull of Perez, the Mexican making short work of taking the lead.
Elsewhere, Pierre Gasly and Lance Stroll made contact, sending the Aston Martin driver into a spin. With the pit stops all complete, Verstappen pursued his team-mate, with Perez told to let Verstappen through. He did so on Lap 49. Verstappen led the rest of the race and won the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time since 2016.
Hamilton made up for his earlier misdemeanours, passing Valtteri Bottas and Sainz’s Ferrari in the closing stages. However, a “DNF risk” saw Hamilton have to lift and coast in the closing laps, preventing him from progressing to the podium places. Perez and Russell joined Verstappen on the podium, with Red Bull recording their second 1-2 finish of the season.
WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE SPANISH GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.
