Formula 1 testing days in Barcelona
The new Formula 1 season is almost starting. We have waited a long time but the new cars for the season have been released the last couple of weeks. From 25th of February until the 7th of March the formula 1 teams will be testing the new cars during the testing days in Barcelona. As a Formula 1 fan myself I went to the test day on Tuesday the 26th of February. In this blog post I will tell you about my experience, why you should go to the Grand Prix in Barcelona and how to get to the circuit!
Testing days
On Tuesday I went to one of the testing days in Barcelona. To make sure I was on time at the circuit I started my day really early. The testing days are from 09.00 A.M. until 06.00 P.M. If you are coming from Barcelona you can go to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya by public transport. I took the train to Montmeló train station and from there I took a taxi to the circuit. After an hour of traveling I arrived at the circuit and when I arrived I had to walk 20 minutes to reach the main stand. There weren’t that many people when I arrived. That didn’t suprise me because it was freezing that day and the testing days are during work hours. I arrived at the main stand just in time before the green flag. I sat down in the middle of the main stand and the drivers came out of the pit box one by one. I was really curious to see the new cars, also to see the halo on top of the cars for the first time. It was really strange to see and it took me a while to get used to the halo but the cars looked amazing and the sound of a formula one car is always good!
Because of the weather circumstances the teams kept their cars in longer than usual. As the hours went by the temperatures also rose and at the end of the day Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) ended up with the fastest time. To make the best use of the day the teams decided to skip the traditional one hour lunch break that was scheduled at 01.00 P.M. It was also good attraction to see old Formula 1 driver, Robert Kubica in action for Williams. A lot of fans enjoyed the test days, including myself, even though the weather circumstances of the first week weren’t that good.
Overall the testing during the days seem successful and it looks like Mercedes is one step ahead of the other teams. Lewis Hamilton clocked the fastest time in the first week. The cars are faster than anyone expected and that gives us high expectations for the upcoming season.
Spanish Grand prix 2018
The Spanish Grand Prix will take place on Sunday the 13th of May this year, the race will start at 03.10 P.M. The practices and qualification will take place on Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th of May. The qualification will start at 03.00 P.M. The first grand prix on this circuit was held in 1991 this year will be the 28th time. Most of the teams already have lot of experience on this Circuit. Not only because they have raced here for many years but also because it is the venue for the winter and summer testing. Even though the track is familiar it is still challenging for the drivers. The circuit has a mix of high and low-speed corners and it has a bumpy track surface. These difficulties make it physically and mentally hard for the drivers. The Spanish Grand Prix is the first grand prix of the season in Europe. I think most of the people can agree that turn 1 is among the best places to watch the grand prix. This is one of the few overtaking opportunities. Last year Lewis Hamilton was the race winner. Michael Schumacher has won the Spanish Grand Prix six times and that makes him the most successful driver here. Other drivers who have won this Grand Prix are: Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, Felipe Massa and Max Verstappen. Max Verstappen won the Grand Prix in 2016, it was the first race for him in the Red Bull car and he became the youngest driver ever to win a race. Everyone is excited to see who will win the Grand Prix this year.
The ticket prices range from range from €120 to €99, this depends on the amount of days you are visiting. Order your tickets in advance if you want to get the cheapest tickets, sometimes they have discounts. With a ticket you have access to all the public areas of the circuit. You can order tickets at the official F1 website. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes and that you bring sunscreen and your sunglasses because it can get really hot during May.
How to get to the circuit?
The circuit is located 32km from Barcelona and there are multiple options to get to the circuit. You can go by car or by public transport. If you go by car it will take about 40 minutes. You have to follow the C-17 road and exit at Montmeló. If you are planning on going to the Grand Prix this year, I suggest you leave in time because there will be a lot of traffic. It would be a disaster to miss the race because of this.
If you go by public transport you have multiple options. You can take the train, and walk to the circuit. You can take the R2 train from Sants, Passeig de Gracia and Clot in Barcelona and you have to get of at Montmelo train station. This is the nearest train station from the Circuit. A return journey is around €5. During the Grand Prix Sagalés is offering special coach serves, they leave from the centre of Barcelona to the east of the circuit. A ticket for this coach costs around €15. You can buy your ticket for the coach on their website.
There was a lot of excitement during the testing days and so will there be during the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Excitement is always guaranteed and especially here in Barcelona! Are you a Formula 1 fan and planning on going to Barcelona to enjoy the race? You can stay the weekend in one of our beautiful apartments. We have apartments in the centre of Barcelona, just a few kilometers from Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Make sure to check them out.
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