Spanish Grand Prix: Preview

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been the home of Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix since 1991, when the circuit was constructed as part of Barcelona’s rejuvenation as the host of the 1992 Summer Olympics. The 4.6km circuit quickly established itself as an acid test of a Formula 1 car’s ability, with an abundance of long-radius high-speed corners, rapid changes of direction, and extreme stress placed upon the tires. A well-balanced package, and confidence in the front end of the car, is vital for drivers to complete a strong lap around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Teams and drivers are well versed with the nuances of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with the venue having the third-longest unbroken spell on the Formula 1 schedule, while it has been a regular test track through its existence. Nevertheless, it is set to be one of the last Formula 1 events at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with Spain’s grand prix poised to relocate to a new track in Madrid, effective 2026. But the focus here and now is on maximum performance at one of the championship’s most-used tracks as Formula 1 begins its first triple-header of the 2024 season.



MoneyGram Haas F1 Team drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen both have an abundance of experience of Barcelona from Spain’s annual grand prix and days of pre- and in-season testing. Hulkenberg has entered 10 Spanish grands prix, taking a highest result of sixth in 2017, a result which eight-time Spanish Grand Prix starter Magnussen replicated for MoneyGram Haas F1 Team in 2018.

Official Reserve Driver Oliver Bearman will return to the VF-24 for the second of his six planned FP1 outings in 2024. Ferrari Driver Academy member Bearman will replace Hulkenberg for the opening 60-minute session.

American racer Chloe Chambers – who turned 20 last week – will also be in action as round three of the 2024 F1 Academy races around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Chambers, who competes with Campos Racing, currently sits fourth in the Drivers’ Standings after picking up her first podium at home in Miami. 



Ayao Komatsu - Team Principal:

“Spain is the first circuit since we introduced our upgrades which has proper high-speed corners, so I’m really looking forward to assessing our update at that circuit and see what it’s like. We have Bearman joining us again for FP1, this time in place of Nico, so he can continue from where he left off in Imola. A triple-header is always pretty tough, thankfully a lot of our team is UK-based so it helps that the last race of this triple is in the UK, but it is still very hard. It’s getting to that point of the season where everybody’s feeling it, so it’s very important that we look after ourselves to be able to perform at our best, to be efficient and focused, especially on the back of two events where our trackside operations weren’t the best. We can’t let that happen, so we need to look at ourselves and see how we can operate at our best.”



Nico Hulkenberg:

“It’s one of the classic circuits we’ve been going to over the years. It’s obviously a very high-speed circuit and I think it’s going to be very hot there this year, it used to be the first race of the European season. I expect there’s going to be very hot, Spanish, temperatures. The vibes in Barcelona and the Spanish lifestyle are pretty cool and go well with a fun race. I like triple-headers, we’ve known them now for a few years and June is that month when things get quite busy.”



Kevin Magnussen:

“It’s one of the most well-known tracks for all the drivers, probably the track I’ve done most laps of out of them all. It’s a good track, lots of high-speed corners there, and can be quite difficult to overtake. It’s become better, the track is more enjoyable after they’ve removed the last chicane and that’s also helped overtaking a little bit, so hopefully we can be competitive there. It’s a triple-header, but it’s nice to be in the European part of the season, it’s all familiar surroundings, short flights and no jet lag.”