The Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona hosts the fourth round of the 2007 F1 championship. The drivers' championship is tied three ways, and the teams are coming to Europe after a four-week break.
The teams spend a lot of time testing at Barcelona because it is an excellent test of aerodynamic and tyre wear. The high-speed corners need good downforce: on the other hand, the long straight punishes drag, so being slippery or having a powerful engine is a must. The high-speed corners mean that this circuit is tough on tyres - so getting the balance right is critical to using them properly over a race distance.
One of the downsides of all the testing at this circuit is that the teams are usually pretty dialled in before they arrive. The drivers cannot usually add much to the package, so they typically line up close to each other on the grid. On the other hand, it sets out a fairly unequivocal view of the relative performances of the teams for the start of the European legs.