F1 classic races - Spain

IN A new series, I will be looking back at six classic races every weekend from the country about to stage an event in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship.  This is my selection, of races in Spain between 1991 and 2010.  Enjoy the archive!

1991

WINNER: Nigel Mansell (Williams Renault), 2^nd: Alain Prost (Ferrari), 3^rd: Riccardo Patrese (Williams Renault)

F1’s first visit to Barcelona came in September 1991.  It will be remembered for one of the most iconic pictures in Grand Prix history.  Championship rivals Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna went wheel-to-wheel down the long start-finish straight, wheels almost touching sparks flying at nearly 200mph.  Mansell went onto claim the place from Senna and in a race he needed to win, to keep his slim championship hopes alive, did so.  Senna spun in the last corner, then struggled with fuel consumption and limped home a disappointed 5^th.  Pole-sitter Gerhard Berger dropped out with engine problems and with Michael Schumacher also spinning away a possible podium chance in only his fourth Grand Prix start, Alain Prost came through from 15^th at the end of lap one to finish second.  This was because he took the brave decision to start the race on dry tyres on a damp circuit.  However, this was the day when two true Grand Prix legends refused to back down and gave the neutrals a spectacular moment to remember, that is still talked about today.

1994

WINNER: Damon Hill (Williams Renault), 2^nd: Michael Schumacher (Benetton Ford), 3^rd: Mark Blundell (Tyrrell Yamaha)

FOUR weeks after Ayrton Senna’s tragic accident at Imola, Damon Hill gave the whole Williams Renault team a huge boost, with a great victory.  Hill capitalised fully on a rare technical glitch on the formerly invincible Benetton Ford of Michael Schumacher to claim his fourth F1 win.  Schumacher dominated qualifying and disappeared in the early stages with a series of blistering early laps.  However, the young German hit trouble shortly after his first pitstop, when he got stuck in fifth gear for the rest of the race.  Incredibly, he still finished second, less than 20 seconds behind.  Late engine failures for JJ Lehto and Martin Brundle handed Mark Blundell a shock podium finish, ultimately the last time we’d see a Tyrrell on a Formula One podium.

1996

WINNER: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), 2^nd: Jean Alesi (Benetton Renault), 3^rd: Jacques Villeneuve (Williams Renault)

FORCEFUL: Schumacher passes Villeneuve on his way to victory

IN THE torrential rain of Spain 1996, Michael Schumacher proved again just why he was the best.  Schumacher destroyed the competition to win the Spanish event by over a full minute from Jean Alesi.  The 1996 Ferrari was not a good car, but Schumacher could still produce drives that would startle anyone, and this was a prime example.  Rookie Jacques Villeneuve did well to finish third, in a race that saw just six of the 20 cars finish the race.  Retirements included Rubens Barrichello, robbed of a certain podium by a clutch failure on his Jordan Peugeot and Damon Hill, who spun three times in the first 11 laps, and ultimately – ended his race by crashing into the pitwall.  Hill could only watch on in awe of his main rival’s total exhibition of driving in such foul conditions to record his first of what would be many victories at the wheel of the Scuderia.

1997

WINNER: Jacques Villeneuve (Williams Renault), 2^nd: Olivier Panis (Prost Mugen Honda), 3^rd: Jean Alesi (Benetton Renault)

TYRES were the main factor in the outcome of the 1997 event on the Circuit de Catalunya and nearly saw a giantklling upset.  Had it not been for Eddie Irvine’s inability to use his mirrors whilst being lapped, Prost and Olivier Panis might well have won this event.  Panis only started 12^th, but his more durable Bridgestone tyres and solid Prost chassis saw him charge through the field.  This came on a day where Heinz-Harald Frentzen squandered a front row starting position and finish in a very poor 8^th for Williams.  To make Frentzen look even worse, his team-mate Jacques Villeneuve was easier on his Goodyear tyres and went onto take the chequered flag, though if it hadn’t been for Irvine’s ignorance, he probably would have limited defence against the charging Panis.  Two weeks later, Panis season and career effectively ended with two broken legs in a sickening crash during the Canadian Grand Prix.  Jean Alesi scored a much-needed rostrum for Benetton, as Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard, suffered significantly from the abrasive track surface, which destroyed their tyres.  Schumacher salvaged fourth, whilst Coulthard was overtaken by Johnny Herbert on the last lap and had to settle for a disappointing sixth.

2001

WINNER: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), 2^nd: Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams BMW), 3^rd: Jacques Villeneuve (BAR Honda)

SOMETIMES, sport can be just utterly cruel for no particular reason.  Mika Hakkinen was the victim of this fate in 2001.  In the first event since traction control and launch control devices were allowed back into the sport, the Flying Finn was in complete command.  He followed Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari closely through the first two stints and then took the lead at the final round of pitstops.  Although helped by a strange vibration from Schumacher’s Ferrari, Hakkinen proceeded to pull out a minute advantage, having lapped the entire field.  Then, on the last lap, his clutch packed up through turn three.  It exploded three corners later, leaving the ailing McLaren on the side of the grass.  You just had to feel for Hakkinen, and even Schumacher had to console his rival afterwards.  Michael knew how lucky he had really been on this day.  David Coulthard was a victim of the new technology and started from the back of the grid.  He recovered to fifth, but was accused by Ron Dennis of suffering ‘brain fade’ afterwards.  This allowed Juan Pablo Montoya to collect his first points in Formula One, with a second place drive, and Jacques Villeneuve to earn the first podium in F1 for the BAR Honda outfit.

 

2003

WINNER: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari), 2^nd: Fernando Alonso (Renault), 3^rd: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)

BEFORE 2003, Spain was never interested in Formula One.  Crowds were mundane at Barcelona and little interest was credited until Fernando Alonso turned up.  His fans from his native Oviedo descended on Barcelona and saw the youngster push Michael Schumacher all the way.  Schumacher held on to win on the debut of the new F2003-GA, but Alonso won the plaudits of many for his outstanding drive.  Kimi Raikkonen’s championship lead was cut, after he pressed ‘self-destruct’ on the grid and clattered into Antonio Pizzonia’s Jaguar on the grid, whilst David Coulthard tangled with fellow Brit Jenson Button and ended in the gravel pit, making it a miserable day for McLaren.  Although Schumacher had taken the expected victory, this was the day when everyone sat up and took notice of Fernando Alonso’s ability as a Grand Prix racing driver.