Catalunya

The 2010 Spanish Grand Prix will mark the 20th race at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. Introduced in 1991, it has featured on the Formula One calendar every year for the last two decades now. Located in Barcelona, it is a popular venue for winter testing, and the track is familiar to most teams and drivers.

With a relatively long straight, aerodynamic configuration plays a crucial role to negotiate not only the straight itself but the high-speed bends as well. It becomes even more vital as the circuit is not well known for overtaking opportunities. Even the Elf corner at Turn 1, after the start-finish straight, provides some action with due caution as the segment is narrower than most circuits. It is no surprise then that most teams introduce aerodynamic upgrades for the event.

The final two corners of the track were revised for 2007 due to safety reasons. This reduced speeds in the final sector as a chicane was introduced to slow down cars before they carried on full throttle onto the long straight.

With three Spaniards in the drivers’ rostrum - two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, the veteran Pedro de la Rosa and the young Jaime Alguersuari - Spanish fans have additional motivation to look forward to the events in the future.