Dry race weekend expected at Barcelona

2013 Spanish Grand Prix weather

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Formula One returns to the Circuit de Catalunya just oustide Barcelona where two of this year’s pre-season tests were conducted.

Cool and wet conditions in the eight days of running in February and March frustrated teams as the track rarely got warm enough for useful running. But that shouldn’t be a problem this weekend.

Today’s activity at the track will conclude amid showers that could run into the early hours of Friday morning. After that conditions will improve although the track may still be damp at the start of the first practice session.

The clouds will clear up on Saturday producing the highest temperatures of the weekend, pushing above 20C around the time qualifying is due to start.

There is an outside chance of a shower on race day but the likelihood is it will remain dry but cloudy and slightly cooler for the race itself.

See the radar links below for updated images and simulations of the weather patterns during the weekend:

There will be regular updates on the track conditions during each session on F1 Fanatic Live and the F1 Fanatic Twitter account.

Location of Circuit de Catalunya

The Circuit de Catalunya lies to the north of Barcelona:

See the location of every race on the 2013 F1 calendar here:

2013 Spanish Grand Prix

Browse all 2013 Spanish Grand Prix articles

Image © Williams/LAT

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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15 comments on “Dry race weekend expected at Barcelona”

  1. 2 years ago to the day, I was limping all my way up and down pit lane getting autographs from the drivers. Got Schumi, Rossberg, Paul di Resta, Sutil, Vettel (didn´t really want it but he just happened to be in front of me). Couldn´t get Alonso then because he made a private signing session but I got him a year and some months later! Good memories! Got to see Schumi race and witness the best start that I can recall ever!

    1. MB (@muralibhats)
      9th May 2013, 12:57

      You can hate Vettel, but you just cant ignore him :)

      1. @muralibhats

        Read my comment below! Lol

    2. @karter22
      You see, that’s what I respect about Sebastian Vettel — even knowing (more sensing it – like a disturbance in the force) that you hated him, he was still friendly and engaging with you and gave you his autograph. Sometimes you don’t get what you want, but you ALWAYS (thanks to SV) get what you need. :)

      1. @uan

        even knowing (more sensing it – like a disturbance in the force) that you hated him

        You have a big imagination. He could in no way have known I hated him. Oh and by the way, he took my notepad and signed it, it´s not like I handed it to him.
        Oh and I certainly got what I needed, Schumi´s autograph on that day and Alonso´s a year and some months later.
        And out of all of them, the only one that was nice, was DiResta! He even gave me a smirk beause he signed the postcard that FI handed out and when he was done, I tapped my notepad as to say: “Your mising it here buddy!” and he kindly obliged! That is a likeable character to me!

    3. Oh and I also got Petrov!

  2. Accordion to accuweather they are expecting rain at 1pm and 2pm local while netweather also expecting rain for the race

    1. *According

  3. although the track may still be damp at the start of the first practice session.

    Let’s hope not. It would be a great pity with two sets of dry tyres for each driver if we don’t see any running for the first half of the session. I also noticed that the weather forecast on the official F1 site has been amended from rain on all three days, only two days ago. It looks like conditions in Spain are a bit changeable at the moment (more like Spa than Spain), so maybe the forecast will change again.

  4. A boring race in the horizon?

    1. What makes you think it’ll be boring?

    2. You could not be more mistaken. With the longest run down to the first corner, there will be plenty of action at the start and with these lemons for tyres, it´ll be very unpredictable. If anything, I think it´s shaping up to be a major upset to some!

      1. @karter22

        “…with these lemons for tyres, it´ll be very unpredictable”.

        No longer lemons, I’m afraid. With hard compounds changed and teams already having figured out the mediums. We might truly be in for a dull weekend.

        1. @sankalp88
          true that the hard were modified but that can only play into the hands of other teams, hence, there will be more action!! Also, you have to take into consideration that driver seem to have found their “nuts” lately and have actually raced hard so you can also expect moves in other areas and not just in the DRS zone!

          1. @karter22

            I have watched every single race held in Barcelona from 2001 – 2012. I have only enjoyed one of those the 2003 GP. Before that, obviously there was 96! DRS and tyres are the two reasons why this race has marginally improved in the previous two years. The second DRS zone would help, but improving the tyres would have only played into the hands of Red-Bull and Ferrari and not the midfield runners.

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