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Race Review: 2008 Spanish Grand Prix: Barcelona

By Paul Yates

Grand Prix Barcelona 2008 So what will the Barcelona Spanish Grand prix hold for 2008? Well if it's anything like the F1 season just gone then it's going to have everything.

There was a lot of talk when Michael Schumacher retired that there were no personalities left in Formula One but I'm glad to say that I wasn't talking that way and being a Brit, I had a divine faith in Lewis Hamilton even before he turned a formula one wheel in anger. Yes, there were one or two doubts in my mind but even I didn't expect to be blown away by the raw talent and professional composure that he has displayed. It certainly unsettled his Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso to the point that there were already questions being raised in the Spaniard's camp by the time the Grand Prix circus reached Barcelona as to whether Hamilton was getting preferential treatment by the McLaren team.

Grand Prix Barcelona 2008 By the time we came to the opening Grand Prix of the European season at the Circuit de Catalunya relations between the World Champion Alonso, and rookie Hamilton, in the McLaren team were already starting to fall apart. It was already clear that the car to have was either a McLaren or a Ferrari and even in the Maranello team things weren't altogether rosy in that the Ice Man, Raikonen, cometh but the expected results cometh not. Indeed the two giants that had been predicted to be battling for the F1 world driver's title were being eclipsed by their supposedly lower hitting team mates. True to form this happened in Spain too with Massa taking the spoils, followed by Hamilton in second and a disgruntled Alonso third. Despite not meeting his own high standards or the expectations of the home crowd the fervent support for the then Spanish world champion was present as ever and really made for a fantastic sporting extravaganza.

f1 Catalunya Circuit 2008 If there is a complaint to be made about the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona then it's that fact that the track presents little in the way of overtaking opportunities so new for the Grand Prix this year was a re-profiled final corner leading onto the start finish straight with the intention to create more overtaking. Whilst welcome to see developments like this I think the jury is still out on whether it actually had the impact that was intended, there was a little more overtaking but not to the extent that we have seen at some other events. The governing body is making technical changes every year and the next changes to the aerodynamic regulations should further enhance the impact of this new corner in years to come.

An excellent Grand Prix weekend is made up of two important factors:

1. The race
2. The atmosphere

Whilst Fernando Alonso remains one of the new breed of Formula 1 personalities, the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona has got both ingredients for success in abundance. The 2008 Grand Prix will be a cracking event!