WILLIAMS RACE DAY HOSPITALITY: Spanish F1 GP 2023
On 4th June 2023 we were back at the Williams Experience Centre for ‘Race Day Hospitality’. This week was for the Spanish F1 GP.
The Spanish Grand Prix, first contested over 100 years ago, is one of the oldest motor races in the world. Held frequently throughout the early 20th century, the race was hosted on numerous occasions at the Circuito Lasarte until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. The event returned at a new circuit, Pedralbes, in the 1950s. Since 1967, it has retained a spot on the Formula 1 calendar at a variety of venues including Jarama, Jerez and since 1991, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya outside Barcelona.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is also regularly used for winter testing, meaning the drivers and teams know the track very well. The Spanish Grand Prix looked set to fall off the calendar in 2020, but its immediate future was secured thanks to a cash injection from the local government. The longer term future of the event was secured in November 2021 with race organisers signing a new deal with Formula 1 to keep the Spanish Grand Prix on the calendar until at least 2026. The 2020 Spanish Grand Prix, originally scheduled to take place in May, was pushed back to an August date due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The event was one of many in the 2020 season to take place behind closed doors. In 2021, restrictions on spectator numbers were still in place, with only 1,000 fans able to attend the Grand Prix. One year later, with both Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso on the grid, the race weekend attracted a 4-day crowd of 277.836. The event also had its largest race day attendance figure since 2008.
The Spanish F1 Grand Prix was a favourite of Michael Schumacher, who won the race six times in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Lewis Hamilton equalled Schumacher’s Spanish Grand Prix win record in 2021. Other multiple winners of the event include Jackie Stewart, Mika Hakkinen, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost, each with three wins apiece.
In recent years, the spoils have been more evenly divided. In fact, between 2007-2016, the Spanish Grand Prix was won by ten different drivers! That goes some way to explaining why only three of the current crop of F1 drivers have more than two wins at the circuit. In addition to Hamilton’s six wins, Fernando Alonso (2006, 2013) and Max Verstappen (2016, 2022) have each scored two wins at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Fernando Alonso is Spain’s only Formula 1 champion. He won on home soil three times; twice at the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya in 2006 and 2013, and once at the Valencia Street Circuit in 2012. Attendance figures soared at the height of Alonso’s success.
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Williams Racing welcomes you to enjoy a Grand Prix Race Day at the Williams Experience Centre.
The day includes a review of qualifying with an exclusive live link up to one of the drivers, live control room link up, VIP guest appearance with interview, refreshments and lunch followed by the live race screening. There is also the opportunity to browse the Williams Grand Prix Collection with a tour guide, as well as testing your speed on our 20 x F1-style driving simulators, our Super-Size Scalextric Track and other activities on the day.
WHAT’S INCLUDED DURING ‘RACE DAY HOSPITALITY’:
ACTIVITIES
- Unlimited use of the Esports lounge, with 20 state of the art simulators
- Our Think Scalextric Bespoke Super-Size Scalextric Track (click the link for more info about out track)
- Batak
- Museum Tour
- In addition you will have the opportunity to browse our shop with exclusive merchandise and 20% off
FOOD
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Unlimited soft drinks
Why not book up on a ‘Race Day Hospitality Experience’ at the Williams Racing Experience Centre. For info visit: williamsf1.com/experience-centre.
LEARN MORE (click below to open pdf)
Below is a video of the Giant Williams Racing Bespoke Track from our YouTube channel.