Pre-race Statistics of the Spanish GP

At last, after a bit of a break F1 is back and for the first time this season the race is in Europe! The Spanish GP is at the Circuit de Catalunya for the 23^rd time. The 4.655km circuit has 16 corners with a race distance of 307.230km after 66 laps.

21 of the 22 races so far at the circuit have been won from the front row. The only race that wasn’t won from the front row was Michael Schumacher in 1996, from third and only six cars finished the race. In total 14 drivers have won at Catalunya, Michael Schumacher and Ferrari being most successful. Six wins for Schumacher and seven for Ferrari. The lap record was set by Kimi Räikkönen in 2008 with a time of 1:21.670 and an average speed of 205kph or 128mph.

This year’s Spanish GP could be the 50^th podium for Jenson Button or Sebastian Vettel. It could also be the 100^th fastest race lap for a Mercedes engine or Fernando Alonso’s 20^th. If Lewis Hamilton finishes the race on Sunday it will be his 100^th finish and 115^th race.

The race at Catalunya will be the 43^rd Spanish GP and the 50^th race in Spain thanks to seven European GPs. The Spanish GP has taken place at five different circuits, Pedralbes, Jarama, Montjuïc, Jerez and finally Catalunya.

The Silly Stats

Bullfighting is, or was, a popular sport in Spain but has now been banned in the Catalonia region which the circuit is in. However the average bull can run at 20mph meaning that it would take 8:43.688 to do a lap of the Spanish GP circuit.

The average adult bull is slightly heavier than an F1 car, with the car having a minimum weight of 642kg and bulls being between 500 and 1000kg.

For some more stats on the Spanish GP see my mini-stat page