Route & statistics for the Catalonia GP 2024

The route

In 1991, the circuit just outside the city was built to create a new track for Formula 1. Most MotoGP riders now know the 4.727 kilometer route like the back of their hand. On the one hand, the course has been an integral part of the World Cup calendar for years and, on the other hand, numerous tests have already been completed here. In addition, many drivers competed in junior series on this route at a young age. The course is driven clockwise, is 14 meters wide and has eight right and five left turns. The longest straight is the home straight, it measures 1,047 meters. The stadium section, which includes turns ten to thirteen, is particularly popular with fans. From the surrounding hills, spectators have a perfect view over several curves and can be very close to their heroes.

After Luis Salom’s tragic accident on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the 2017 Motorcycle World Championship switched to the Formula 1 layout with a chicane in the last sector. After expanding the run-off areas, however, it was possible to return to the faster variant. In 2021, the renovated, now smoother turn ten was also used for the first time.

The statistics

In 1992, the race track just outside Barcelona hosted the first round of the motorcycle world championship. Wayne Rainey won the race known as the “Grand Prix of Europe” on a Yamaha. Since 1996, the race has been called the “Grand Prix of Catalonia”. Thanks to its varied layout, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has a reputation for producing exciting races. Fans still fondly remember 2009, when Valentino Rossi was only able to beat his teammate Jorge Lorenzo in the last corner of the last lap. Ducati also has fond memories of the Spanish circuit. In 2003, Loris Capirossi took the first MotoGP victory for the Reds in Barcelona.

The record winner on the Catalan route is Valentino Rossi, who won the race a total of six times between 2001 and 2009 and was even able to do more in 2016. Jorge Lorenzo follows in the leaderboard as the most successful Spaniard with five successes. The three-time MotoGP world champion also held both lap records in Barcelona for a long time. In 2021, however, he had to hand over the race lap record to the then Pramac driver Johann Zarco and in 2023 he also had to hand over the qualifying record to Francesco Bagnaia. Aleix Espargaro set the top speed record last year on his way to a historic Aprilia one-two with teammate Vinales: he was clocked at 356.4 km/h.

MotoGP records Barcelona