The Circuit de Catalunya aka Circuit de Barcelona is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia. It is home to the motorcycle Catalonia Grand Prix and the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit. As such it is probably one of the sport's most important testing grounds. Conversely, during actual racing, it has received criticism for being uneventful, with most races being a procession.
The Circuit de Catalunya was built in 1991 to coincide with the Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Barcelona, and is often referred to as 'Barcelona' in the racing community, despite the fact that it is located in Montmeló. The Circuit de Catalunya should not be confused with the Montjuïc circuit, which hosted the Spanish Grand Prix four times between 1969 and 1975 and, unlike the Circuit de Catalunya, is actually located within the city of Barcelona. |
