When is the Spanish Grand Prix? Time, TV channel, grid and odds

Jo Harrison
Lewis Hamilton Spain 2018 PA

Lewis Hamilton Spain 2018 PA

This article is about the 2019 Spanish Grand Prix. You can read our full F1 Virtual Spanish Grand Prix 2020 preview now.

Mattia Binotto claims Ferrari are only just behind Mercedes in F1’s arms race. If he’s right, now would be a great time for them to start showing it on the track as the roadshow moves on to the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

These are desperate times for team from Maranello, already trailing their bitter title rivals by 74 points in the constructors’ standings with only four races of the season completed.

2019 so far has been a strategic disaster for The Prancing Horse, following on from a miserable second half of last season. Sebastian Vettel’s slump has continued, while new boy Charles Leclerc’s undoubted raw pace has been blunted by strategic blunders and bad luck.

Binotto will be praying for a change in fortunes before it is too late – starting at Circuit de Catalunya this weekend.

Esteban Ocon expects Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas' battle to be a "war" until the end of the season.

What time does the Spanish Grand Prix start?

The start times for the Spanish Grand Prix are as follows:

Practice 1: Friday May 10, 1100 local time (1000 BST)

Practice 2: Friday May 10, 1500 local time (1400 BST)

Practice 3: Saturday May 11, 1200 local time (1100 BST)

Qualifying: Saturday May 11, 1500 local time (1400 BST)

Race: Sunday May 12, 1510 local time (1410 BST)

Where does the Spanish Grand Prix take place?

One of the most advanced circuits on the grand prix calendar, the Circuit de Catalunya is modern but also has character. There are a variety of corners, a short straight and a long pit straight.

The circuit was first used in 1991 and was also the centre piece of Spain’s Olympic year in 1992.

With the Circuit de Catalunya also been one of Formula 1’s official testing tracks, the drivers are very accustomed to what this track can through at them

Demanding fast corners, mixed together with a very technical final sector, make sure power and precision are tested at all times.

Directions: Handily placed for arrivals by air to Barcelona El Prat de Lloregat airport, the Circuit de Catalunya is 20km (12 miles) north east of the city on the A7 Autoroute. Leave at junction 13, the Granollers turn off. Click here for more information about the Barcelona El Prat de Lloregat airport.

If you want to travel by rail to the circuit the Montmelo station on the Barcelona line is less than a mile away.

Sunday’s race will be run over 66 laps of the 4.655km track.

Where can I watch the Spanish Grand Prix on TV?

Spanish Grand Prix weekend – including qualifying and the race proper – will be screened live in the UK by pay-TV broadcaster Sky Sports on its dedicated Sky Sports F1 channel. Highlights will be aired by free-to-air broadcaster Channel 4.

Subscribers to F1’s own app can hear radio commentary on the race proper from the BBC and access live data around each session.

PlanetF1 will carry live timing and expert commentary on every session of the race weekend along with all the latest news from the track.

The Spanish Grand Prix will be shown live on TV by the following outlets in other key markets:

United States: ESPN (English), Univision (Spanish)

Canada: RDS (French), TSN (English)

Australia: Fox Sports

France: Canal +

Italy: Sky Sport F1

Germany: RTL

Spain: Movistar F1

What is the weather forecast for the Spanish Grand Prix?

Friday May 10: 24C, partly cloudy.
Saturday May 11: 22C, mostly sunny.
Sunday May 12: 21C, partly cloudy.

Which drivers have won the Spanish Grand Prix?

The great Michael Schumacher holds the record for most victories in Spain with six in his glittering career, while Ferrari are the most successful constructor with a total of 12 successes.

In recent years reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton has enjoyed plenty of good times in Barcelona, with back-to-back victories in 2017 and 2018 to add to his success in 2014.

Recent winners:
2018 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2016 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2013 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2012 Pastor Maldonado (Williams)
2011 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 Mark Webber (Red Bull)
2009 Jenson Button (Brawn)

Track Lap Record: 1:18.441 by Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull, 2018)

What is the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix?

Mercedes notched up yet another front-row lockout in Barcelona on Saturday, and the starting grid is as follows – including grid penalties:

1 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
2 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
4 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
5 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
6 Pierre Gasly (Red Bull)
7 Romain Grosjean (Haas)
8 Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
9 Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso)
10 Lando Norris (McLaren)
11 Alex Albon (Toro Rosso)
12 Carlos Sainz (McLaren)
13 *Daniel Ricciardo (Renault)
14 Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo)
15 Sergio Perez (Racing Point)
16 Lance Stroll (Racing Point)
17 Robert Kubica (Williams)
18 ***Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo)
19 **George Russell (Williams)
20 ****Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)

* Daniel Ricciardo penalised 3 places for causing a collision in Azerbaijan
** George Russell penalised 5 places for an unscheduled gearbox change
*** Antonio Giovinazzi penalised 5 places for an unscheduled gearbox change
**** Nico Hulkenberg to start from pit lane for breaking parc ferme rules

What are the odds for the Spanish Grand Prix?

Valtteri Bottas is now odds-on favourite for the Spanish Grand Prix after scorching to pole on Saturday.

10/11 Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)

11/10 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

8/1 Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)

20/1 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)

25/1 Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

(Prices correct at 1700 BST on Saturday May 11)

What are the latest F1 Championship standings?

The leaders in the race for the driver and constructor titles heading into the Spanish Grand Prix are as follows:

Drivers’ Championship

Valtteri Bottas – 87 points

Lewis Hamilton – 86 points

Sebastian Vettel – 52 points

Max Verstappen – 51 points

Charles Leclerc – 47 points

Constructors’ Championship

Mercedes – 173 points

Ferrari – 99 points

Red Bull – 64 points

Full F1 championship standings are here

Tyre compounds for the Spanish Grand Prix

F1 tyre manufacturer Pirelli have introduced a new tyre naming system for the 2019 season – they now have 5 dry tyres named C1 to C5 as they get softer through the range.

In Spain in 2019 the compounds in use will be the white C1 hard tyre, the yellow medium C2 tyre and the red soft C3 tyre.

What is F1’s new rule on bonus points?

F1 have made the decision to award a bonus point in every race of the 2019 season if certain criteria are met.

The bonus point will be awarded to the driver who completes the fastest lap in the race, as long as that driver also finishes in the top 10. The driver’s team will also score a bonus point in the constructor standings in that case.

This means there are up to 21 extra points available for the 2019 championship.