Have all the important information for this weekend’s European Grand Prix at your fingertips with the F1 Fanatic race programme:
The race weekend
2011 European Grand Prix preview – Will rules change slow Red Bull in Valencia?
2011 European Grand Prix – Full race weekend information including support races.
2011 F1 championship points – Full drivers and teams points standings heading into this weekend’s race.
Reserve drivers
The following changes to the usual driver line-up will be made for first practice only:
Nico Hulkenberg will drive in place of Paul di Resta at Force India.
Daniel Ricciardo is expected to be driving one of the Toro Rossos but it is not clear which.
Update: Karun Chandhok will drive Jarno Trulli’s Lotus in first practice as well.
Stewards
Heinz-Harald Frentzen is the drivers’ advisor to the stewards this weekend.
The veteran of 156 Grands Prix joins World Motor Sport Council member Radovan Novak and president of the Canadian motor sport club Roger Peart on the panel.
The track
Williams’ guide to the Valencia street track:
The European Grand Prix has only been held in three different countries: Great Britain, Germany and Spain.
This is its fourth year in Valencia at a venue which is called a street circuit, but is not an authentic example of one. It may be bordered by barriers, but the surface was purpose laid an is much smoother than that found at Monte-Carlo or Singapore.
It has developed a reputation for processional racing: a Yas Marina, without the funky hotel. The new tyres and double DRS zone may change that, but it remains to be seen whether it transforms the perception of the circuit from a rather dull affair to one worthy of the vibrant city it’s located in.
Valencia street circuit information – Fastest laps, strategy information, car performance and more
Tyres
A guide to the circuit from a tyre perspective from Pirelli:
The teams will have the medium (with white colouring) and soft tyres (yellow) to use this weekend.
The medium tyre is being used for the first time at a race weekend. The compound has been changed since it was last used in testing.
Pirelli change tyre compounds for Valencia – Pirelli had originally planned to bring the super-soft tyre
Massa: New Pirelli medium tyre is like old hard – “It is very much like the original hard tyre we had”
The weather
Typical dry and hot weather is expected in Valencia.
2011 European Grand Prix weather forecast – Hot, sunny weather expected
Following the race live
F1 Fanatic Live will be open for your comments during every session.
Join us for every lap of the race, qualifying and practice at these times:
Friday 24th June 2011
European Grand Prix Free Practice 1: 10:00-11:30 (UK time: 9:00-10:30)
European Grand Prix Free Practice 2: 14:00-15:30 (UK time: 13:00-14:30)
Saturday 25th June 2011
European Grand Prix Free Practice 3: 11:00-12:00 (UK time: 10:00-11:00)
European Grand Prix Qualifying: 14:00 (UK time: 13:00)
Sunday 26th June 2011
European Grand Prix: 14:00 (UK time: 13:00)
More session times and live coverage details here: 2011 European Grand Prix TV Times
You can follow F1 Fanatic on Twitter for updates throughout the race weekend:
- Follow F1 Fanatic on Twitter for news, comment and more
- Follow F1 Fanatic Live for updates during every session
- Follow F1 Fanatic Update so you never miss an article
And you can use the F1 Fanatic Live Twitter app to get updates from the drivers, teams and media at the circuit:
2010 European Grand Prix highlights
A shocking crash for Mark Webber transformed the race as the safety car was summoned.
This delayed some drivers – but not Lewis Hamilton, who illegally passed it and was handed a penalty, which did nothing to stop him finishing second.
Sebastian Vettel cruised to victory from pole position while Kamui Kobayashi passed Fernando Alonso and Sebastien Buemi for seventh.
2010 European Grand Prix review – Vettel wins chaotic race in Valencia
Webber hits Kovalainen and flips – Webber was unharmed in a terrifying crash
Did Hamilton try to stop Alonso getting in front of the safety car? – Alonso got stuck behind the safety car, Hamilton didn’t
Bad luck and bad tempers at Ferrari after European Grand Prix – Alonso fumed after Hamilton’s penalty cost him nothing
Previous European Grands Prix
2009 European Grand Prix (Valencia) – Barrichello grabs win from Hamilton
2008 European Grand Prix (Valencia) – Felipe Massa flawless in Valencia victory
2007 European Grand Prix (Nurburgring) – Alonso wins crazy race
2006 European Grand Prix (Nurburgring) – Strategy eases Schumacher’s path to victory
2005 European Grand Prix (Nurburgring) – Raikkonen’s last-lap blowout hands Alonso win
1985 European Grand Prix (Brands Hatch) – First win for Mansell, first title for Prost
Join in the 2011 F1 Fanatic Predictions Championship
There’s F1 races tickets DVDs and more to be won. Play for free by guessing the top five in each race.
You can enter and edit your predictions up to the start of qualifying on Saturday:
Image design by PJ Tierney
RIISE (@riise)
23rd June 2011, 14:58
Those Pirelli Preview videos are just awful.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
23rd June 2011, 15:04
They’ve got some useful information but the narration isn’t great. Hoping to replace with a better version soon.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th June 2011, 6:47
I hope so as well. The Red Bull ones are nice for the way Webber and Vettel get you to really feel the laps speed with them, but this offers nice information so it would be wonderfull if Pirelli took it further and ahead.
Pedro
26th June 2011, 12:33
VEJA Formula 1, European GP, Race AQUI VÁRIOS STREAMS ON!!!
http://p2ptvhd.blogspot.com/
WATCH http://p2ptvhd.blogspot.com/ HERE SEVERAL STREAMS ON!!!
Fixy (@)
23rd June 2011, 15:23
So many articles and the weekend hasn’t started yet!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd June 2011, 19:20
I was thinking the same too!
Harry Palmer
23rd June 2011, 16:12
I think I read somewhereb that Chandhok is due to take part in FP1 as well, not sure who he is replacing.
Good job Lotus picked a track where there aren’t too many walls for him to stuff the car into!
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
23rd June 2011, 19:24
It would be Trulli I think.
mantolwen (@mantolwen)
23rd June 2011, 21:41
Yeah Kovalainen was pretty adamant on Twitter that it wasn’t him.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th June 2011, 6:48
Yes, I saw an announcement from the team that it would be Karun in Jarno’s car. Maybe he can solve the power steerng issue with that car :-D (no, not by writing it off in the wall, that was not how I meant that)
Harry Palmer
23rd June 2011, 16:13
‘somewhere’ even!
PJ
23rd June 2011, 17:20
Last year’s race is one of the BBC repeats this week and it’s even duller than it was live. For the 2011 GP do we know the DRS zone(s) yet?
In other news my F1 posters have been featured in Autosport! http://i54.tinypic.com/xkss8w.jpg
I’d like to think stuff like this and Sport Magazine wouldn’t have been possible with F1F being the first big site to feature them, so thanks again Keith. :)
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
23rd June 2011, 17:25
Nice! Do I get commission :-)
PJ
23rd June 2011, 18:05
I may shoot you a freebie or talk to you about a potential giveaway towards the end of the season :)
By the way, I have a Bahrain poster all made up (I was prepared incase it was confirmed to be back on the calendar), do you think I should sell it? I’m thinking of marking the race number in the top right as “XX” to signify it’s been cancelled.
BasCB (@bascb)
24th June 2011, 6:50
I would guess a lot of people would love to have that one as a special edition.
Maybe we could send LAK a version to help her get over the cancellation as well, what do you think?
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
24th June 2011, 1:53
The worst track to race in f1,though the final sector is good for one lap qualifying but the races here are always boring.
jk
24th June 2011, 12:44
The Tyres will play a big part here this year and create a bit more action I think; plus the quite ridiculous 2 DRS zones allowing a car to pass then make a speedy hollywood style getaway!!!!
Im looking forward to watching Kobayahsi here, he seems to have the ability to invent new overtaking places at nearly every track he visits!!! :)