1954 F1 visited Spain twice in the 50s but would not visit again for 14 years after this picture was taken. The Maestro, Juan Manuel Fangio, in the iconic Mercedes W196 at Pedrables, finished third that day, but it was enough for the Argentinian legend to claim his second WC.
1968 Lotus and Cosworth together had created one of the best cars in the history of Formula One. The Lotus 49 Cosworth. It was intended that Jim Clark and Graham Hill would sweep all before them in 1968. But Clark was dead. A shattered team came together at Jarama and Graham Hill gave the team the win to get them back on track.
1969
The shocking crash of Jochen Rindt's Lotus 49B at Montjuich Park. The high aerofoils then in vogue in Formula One produced a lot of downforce, but were notoriously fragile. Rindt fractured his skull in this crash. Team mate Graham Hill would also crash from a broken aerofoil within meters and minutes of this crash.
1971
The science of wings was in its infancy in Formula One in the early 70's as can be seen on this March 711. Superswede Ronnie Peterson, pictured here, would retire 24 laps into the race at Montjuich Park street circuit with ignition problems.
1972
In 1972 BRM were taking as many as 5 cars to each race. Each car was of varying vintage and condition and ten drivers drove the cars throughout the season. Here Alex Soler-Roig would retire after just six laps of the Jarama circuit.
1975 The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix would be a memorable day for many reasons. The drivers desperately didn't want to race because of concerns over the street circuits barriers, Emerson Fittpaldi didn't race in the end. When the teams were threatened with their car being impounded the race went on, until a spate of crashes struck the field. Finally Rolf Stommelen crashed into the crowd killing four spectators. Jochen Mass became the first German to win a Grand Prix since Wolfgang von Trips, and Lella Lombardi, here driving her March 751 Cosworth became the first woman to score world championship points for her 6th place.
1976 In a year of intense battle between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, Jarama played host to another. Hunt would win this time in his McLaren M23 Cosworth but was disqualified for having his car's rear track too wide, promoting Lauda into the win. Months later Hunt was re-instated to the results.
1977 As the cars move away from the grid, the lack of space available to build the circuit are illustrated by the armco on the hill in the background. The Armco is on the outside of Pegio Corner. Closest to camera is Patrick Neve in the March 761 Cosworth entered by Williams Grand Prix Engineering, while a privately entered McLaren M23 driven by Emilio de Villota follows.
1979
In the kit car era of the 70's it was possible for a new young team to design and build a car buy an engine from Cosworth and be on the pace. The fledgling Arrows team did just that. Here Jochen Mass in the Arrows A1B flies down the main straight at Jarama.
1986
After five year gap, Formula One returned to Spain in 1986 at remote circuit of Jerez. Here Piercarlo Ghinzani steers the Osella FA1G, powered by the Alfa Romeo turbo charged V8, through the Chicane. That Alfa engine expired 10 laps into the race.
1989
Pierluigi Martini will be forever associated with Minardi. Here in one of the best of the Minardis, the M189 Cosworth, Martini would spin off after 27 laps after qualifying an incredible fourth on the grid.
1990 It was a very hard decision for Derek Warwick to even race his Lotus 102 Lamborghini. The previous day teammate Martin Donnelly hit the crash barriers in a career-ending accident. The car all but exploded, grievously wounding the promising young Irishman. But Warwick is a racer, and race he did. Up until his gearbox failed 10 laps from home.
1992 In 1992 the FIA went to the extraordinary measure of kicking a team out of Formula One. Andrea Moda Formula struggled to field two cars, at times not even bothering, sending out Perry McCarthy often in the final minute of pre-qualifying, unable to set a flying lap. Here McCarthy reaches his car's near top speed in the Catalunya Circuit pitlane with the assistance of some Flag Marshalls.
1993 It wasn't supposed to be like this. 1992 CART champion Michael Andretti was all set to follow his father tracks into Formula One, but he joined McLaren at low ebb and was dominated by his team mate, Ayrton Senna, and pressured by the teams third driver Mika Hakkinen. Andretti finally scored his first two points here in the McLaren MP4/8 Ford at Catalunya.
1995 Unmitigated disaster are two words which came to mind when describing Nigel Mansell in 1995. Under pressure from Marlboro to have a World Champion in the team, at first Mansell didn't fit in the car, and when he did he was uncompetitive. This would be Mansell's last Grand Prix, an undeservedly inglorious end.
1996 Michael Schumacher kept one of each of his Ferrari race cars, but not this one. The Ferrari F310 was unloved and not a good car. However, in atrocious weather conditions the new Ferrari driver was untouchable, clinching his first win for the Scuderia. Would Ferrari will become WC again?
1998
Mika Salo prepares to abandon ship. The Arrows A19 looked gorgeous in black, but just didn't go. On the 22nd lap engine failure claimed the Arrows V10 engine, and with it Salo's chances.
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