Spanish Grand Prix Tickets Continued
The Spanish Grand Prix (Gran Premio de España) is a Formula One race currently held at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain as part of the annual Formula One championship season.
In the 1960s, Spain made a bid to return to the world of international motor racing - the Royal Automobile Club of Spain commissioned a new circuit north of Madrid at Jarama, and Catalonia refurbished their circuit at Montjuïc circuit in Barcelona. A non-championship Grand Prix took place at Jarama in 1967, which was won by Jim Clark racing in a Lotus.
In 1968, Jarama hosted the Spanish Grand Prix, near the beginning of the F1 season. It was agreed, following this event, that the race would alternate between Jarama and Montjuich.
The 1975 Grand Prix at Montjuich was marked by tragedy. There had been concerns about track safety during practice races, and double-winner Emerson Fittipaldi retired in protest after a single lap. On the 26th lap of the race, Rolf Stommelen's car crashed when the rear wing broke off, killing four spectators. The race was stopped later and won by Jochen Mass, though only half the points were awarded.
The Spanish Grand Prix was confined to Jarama until 1981, after which it was dropped from the racing calendar. In 1985, the Mayor of Jerez commissioned a new racing circuit in his town to promote tourism and sherries. The track, the Circuito Permante de Jerez, was finished in time for the 1986 championship, which saw a furious battle between Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell, with the two cars finishing side by side. The stewards awarded the win to Senna, by 0.014 seconds - one of F1's closest finishes.
The 1990 Spanish Grand Prix was the last in Jerez (although Jerez did stage the European Grand Prix in 1994 and 1997). During the practice, Martin Donnelly's car was destroyed in a high-speed collision, and Donnelly was severely injured.
Work on the Circuit de Catalunya was underway in Barcelona, and in 1991, the event moved to this new track, where it has remained since.
