The Village Barcelona&Circuit has recalled in Barcelona one of the most significant eras in Spanish motor racing, and it has done so with Pedro de la Rosa visiting the Arrows with which he competed in the Formula 1 World Championship in 1999 and wearing his racing suit.
For a few hours, the Catalan driver relived his debut year in Grand Prix racing. The year 1999 was a before and after for him, when he made his breakthrough in the tight championship in which at that time drivers such as Michael Schumacher, Mikka Häkkinen, Damon Hill, Jean Alesi, Jacques Villeneuve and Marc Gené, among others, were competing. At the 1999 Spanish Grand Prix, Pedro de la Rosa recorded an 11th position in an exciting but also difficult year for him.
In fact, he won the Arrows’ seat on a test day at the Circuit. “We were testing in Barcelona and I had to go up against the main driver, Mika Salo, to try to do a lap time similar to his. I remember everyone telling me that I must know the Circuit very well, as it was my home circuit, but I told them that I hadn’t raced at this circuit since 1991, even though I made my debut there with Formula Renault. I remember that moment with a lot of nerves. Thanks to a great lap time with this car, I was able to race the following year,” recalls De la Rosa.
The Catalan driver surprised everyone by scoring points in his first race, held in Australia, achieving a sixth position. However, from that moment on, the year became more complicated for him. “Australia was one of the few races we finished. There wasn’t much budget in the team and a series of mechanical failures kept cropping up and we had to take advantage of that first race, with everything new, to score a point,” adds Pedro de la Rosa.
All those who visit the Village Barcelona&Circuit will be able to get up close to Pedro de la Rosa’s Arrows, the single-seater that, according to the Catalan driver, “changed his life“. The Arrows will be on permanent display every day of the event, until Saturday 21, so that visitors can get a close-up look at the aesthetics of the fastest cars in the world more than two decades ago.
The space that decorates the Moll de la Barceloneta quay is a joint initiative of the Barcelona City Council, the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Circuit to bring the F1 Grand Prix to life in the whole city, so that the city becomes impregnated and lives the great events. Pedro de la Rosa’s stop at this location is proof of this, offering first-hand this real connection with Formula 1.
Multiple proposals in the Village Barcelona&Circuit
The Catalan driver’s F1 car will not be the only attraction in the Village. There will be multiple activities for everyone. Attendees will find the recreation of a pit box with pit-stop exhibitions by Monlau Competición. They will also have the opportunity to change the tyres of a single-seater. Competition enthusiasts will have a slot car track and an eSports simulator area at their disposal. Children will also have their space and will be able to enjoy a pedal car circuit. All this with a stage and live music. The Circuit will exhibit a photographic journey through its three decades of history, and show some of its most important trophies. There will also be a sustainability point with the aim of raising awareness about environmental care.
Timetable
The opening hours of the Village Barcelona&Circuit will be from 12 noon to 9.00 p.m. every day, except for Saturdays and Sundays, when it will open one hour earlier, at 11.00 a.m.