2011 Race Summary
Fernando Alonso made a perfect start to the race, overtaking both Red Bulls and Hamilton into the first corner to the cheers of the Spanish fans, and leading the race until lap 18. However, Alonso faded after the first round of pitstops where Sebastian Vettel took the lead, a position which he held to the end of the race in spite of the efforts of Lewis Hamilton, who fought him all the way to the close, finishing only 0.6 seconds behind the winner, with his team-mate Button over half a minute behind in third. Button had used a three-stop strategy instead of a four-stop strategy, like most other drivers, to get ahead of Webber and Alonso. On lap 31, Liuzzi's car stopped near the Pirelli tunnel due to a gearbox failure, forcing his retirement.
Mark Webber came in fourth, after spending much of the race behind Fernando Alonso, only overtaking him on the 39th lap when the Spaniard pitted. Kovalainen crashed on lap 51, damaging the left side and wheels of his car. On Lap 57, Massa, struggling with his gearbox, beached his car in the Turns 6 and 7 chicane while running tenth, his game was over. Despite starting in the pits, behind all the other cars, Nick Heidfeld had a successful race, bringing his car home in the points with an eighth place finish. After saving a set of tyres by not setting a Q3 time, Michael Schumacher finished sixth ahead of teammate Rosberg. The race was notable for Ferrari's lack of pace on the prime tyre with Alonso slipping from first to fifth in the pit stops alone. Sergio Pérez scored his first Formula One points with ninth place, after he was disqualified from seventh place at the Australian Grand Prix.
Circuit Info
[Click map for onboard lap]
Laps
66
Circuit length
4.655 km (2.892 mi)
Race length
307.104 km (190.825 mi)
Lap Record
Kimi Räikkönen - Ferrari - 2008 - 1:21.670
Most Wins (Drivers)
Michael Schumacher (6)
Most Wins (Constructors)
Ferrari (11)
Previous Winners
2011 - Sebastian Vettel for Red-Bull Renault
2010 - Mark Webber for Red-Bull Renault
2009 - Jenson Button for Brawn-Mercedes
2008 - Kimi Räikkönen for Ferrari
2007 - Felipe Massa for Ferrari
2006 - Fernando Alonso for Renault
2005 - Kimi Räikkönen for McLaren-Mercedes
Videos highlighting the Chinese Grand Prix
Highlights from the 1991 Spanish Grand Prix
Fernando Alonso's impressive start at the 2011 Spanish Grand Prix
Highlights from the 2003 Spanish Grand Prix
Changes from 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.
GP Facts
-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 Schumachers 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 Drivers Championship and 16 times the winning team has gone on to lift the Constructors title at the end of the season.
-Kimi Räikkönens 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 Fisicellas 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.
Drivers Championship
Constructors Championship
Fantasy League Championship