Spanish GP Preview | Can anyone hold off Red Bull from another win?
Formula 1 can currently be summed up in one sentence: 'Will it be Max Verstappen or Sergio Perez after all?' Seven Grands Prix completed this season, seven times Red Bull Racing was (by far) the strongest. For fans of teams other than Red Bull, it looks to be tricky next weekend too, as for the Spanish Grand Prix, the Austrian team is again the big favourite.
A whopping 613 metres is the run-up to the first corner at the Circuit de Catalunya. That is the distance the competition will have to travel to see the race (probably) not turn into a Red Bull party from the start. Indeed, after the last chicane before the straight disappeared this year, the track is even better suited to the Bulls (although so far there has been no circuit where the Austrians have had insurmountable problems). In terms of top speed - and especially with the DRS open - Red Bull is, on paper, unbeatable in Spain.
Barcelona not in Alonso's favour
Of course, the race always still has to be run and a surprise is always possible (see Perez's slide during qualifying in Monaco), but the Aston Martin's strength normally shows up more difficult in Barcelona. The cars of home favourite Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are excellent in the slow corners, so removing the chicane will not benefit the team at all.
It will be interesting to see how the updates from Ferrari and Mercedes fare. The latter already used the new floor, sidepods and new front suspension at Monaco, but on this unique street track it is difficult to judge how good (or bad) the updates are. On a more traditional track like Spain, it is easier to tell if it all works as it should. Ferrari just waited until Spain with the drastic updates, and certainly Carlos Sainz wants to show in front of his home crowd that he is once again a factor in his red car.
Tension mainly in midfield
While the tension at the front is often lacking, there is currently a lot of competition in the mid- and backfield. The differences there are small and on a good day, for example, a team like Alpine can shine. See Monaco last weekend for that. Between teams like Alfa Romeo, AlphaTauri, Haas and Williams, the margins are very small. So those who look beyond the 'fight' at the front can probably see drivers battling it out at the sharp end in Barcelona too. Unfortunately, these will not be for the win, but for race fans, this will be enjoyable too.
The Spanish Grand Prix starts at 14:00 on Sunday [UK time]. GPblog will report from the circuit near Barcelona throughout the weekend.
The undisputed best driver in a great car will always be hard to beat.
Looking forward to the updates Mercedes brought in Monaco, how they work on more traditional circuit like that of Barcelona.
People say F1 is boring, but now we can enjoy:
-How will Ferrari or their drivers mess up
-How far behind Alonso will Stroll be
-Lewis or George
-How far will Max win
-Will Yiki finish 11th again
-Car updates
-What will the FIA do that is controversial
-Wich one of the Haas drivers will run into someone else
-Will we see Bottas in the race this time
-No celebs this time
-Rain?
@Koosdlrey, yip that's on point , well said, let's enjoy all these points we have always enjoyed about the sport.
Not sure why you say "now we can enjoy" as these points have always been points of enjoyment for F1 fans.
Yep. Spot on, especially your top 5, in particular point 4.
One main thing I love watching is Russell going to be out qualifying Ham and if he can score more points to close the gap different because of his unfortunate mechanical DNF and when will Ham have a DNF himself to level the playing field.
@Mech Engineer, I agree. This has always been the excitement over the seasons. I remember when Mercedes was dominant. I was taking bets on who Max would crash into, and yes, if Ferrari would manage to take the P2 position if it rained ?. There were some years with exciting things that we could watch back then. Great point, @Mech
Interestingly enough since Lewis has been relegated to mid field status Max hasn't crashed into anyone.
Coincidence?
@JapieK, sorry about your pain my friend .......
Scroll up for some truth, I know you know ?
Brilliant how you can ignore everything that has been said above and do not reply on any of it hahahaha.
It hurts, it hurts. Oh the pain....
So by you're reckoning, Max won the championship because Masi helped him, the AT team helped him and Lewis helped him, is that right ✅
2021 Lewis mistakes(genuine mistakes that we do not expect from a 7 time champion.
Imola : Bad gateway which put him from 1st to 3rd, then crashed into the barriers while overtaking a backmarker ? really a backmarker, only for him to get lucky with the safety car coz he lost like 2 mins there.
Baku : easy 25 points to be scored with only 2 laps to go, locked the brakes and scored 0.
France : Slow in-lap compared to Max that gave Max the lead and allowed the team to find a new different strategy and win.
Hungary : Decision to pit for new tyres despite the fact that the whole grid was on new tires, I know it's a team decision but driver has the feel in those conditions.
Then struggled to overtake a guy for 10 laps with a car that was 3 seconds slower per lap.
Silverstone: Lost to Max in the sprint race despite taking pole, crashing into Max and then destroying his title chances at the year-end.
Abu Dhabi: Leaving too much space for someone who's involved in a title fight with you and letting them by.
It was only 1 lap.
Turkey : Not being able to overtake a slower car for many laps even in the wet(as he's good in it) despite his teammate winning the race.
Comparing it to Max, he had elbows out driving and overdrove the car all year
@greg,really when was that, some examples. Y friend would bring ck text to you misguided post.
Max made tests and mistakes when he was young, Lewis made them at 36 in 2021 to lose the championship
Thats so true I wonder why, could be he is in a car that's got a DRS advatage of 14 to 21 Kph, no crashing needed.
No, its gonna be the RB19 dominating again.
It will be the battles from P3 and below that will be intresting to see, also looking forward to seeing the new track changes.
But there's no teams that's gonna be challenging the RB19 come race weekend.
Simple answer! NOPE!
During the Mercedes era dominance, we have Max, driving an inferior car, sometimes being able to wrestle a win from the Mercedes drivers, because of his superb skills.
Now, we have him in a dominant car, short of something unexpected happening to him, like a mechanical DNF, or having to go into the pits for a puncture or nose cone change.... no other combination of car and driver on the grid at present can overcome the package of Max & the RB.
@Mech Engineer "driving an inferior car, sometimes being able to wrestle a win from the Mercedes drivers, because of his superb skills."
When was that ?
Vegan, 10 wins before 2021 with the 3rd fastest car for Max. Very impressive!!!
Vegan, No, Brazil 2019 was earned, not given he fought with Leclerc and Lewis. He had his 2nd career pole position too.
Remember Mexico 2021? He passed Bittas and Lewis right at the start with a slower car., that was epic from Max. I know you know haha!!
Yep, he did not crash them . Fully on his own merit. They make mistakes, he did not, simple as that.
You mean Mexico 2018, where Lewis only needed to finish in the top 7 to win the world championship, this race where Daniel Ric had a DNF and messed up his start from pole......lol nice try .
2017, thats the one Hamilton had puncture and if I am not mistaken also won the championship at this race . Try again.
Malaysia 2017, when Kimi had turbo issues.........any more
Mexico 2018 and while we are at it, lets do Mexico 2017 as well. Why win once if you can do it again the next year ;-)
But obviously just examples :-)
Malaysia 2017 another prime example, passing Lewis and never looking back.
@Greg, you mean the race the Ferrari's took each other out and VB had engine failure and Mercedes got the tyre strategy wrong for Lewis ....that race, seems like a lot of decisions went one way for that Max victory, pick another one my friend, I like this game .
There is a lot but Brazil 2019 was insane, he fought Mercedes and Ferraris by his own, passed Lewis 2 times etc etc... A stat was born
@greg, my bad, so which of those 10 races he won on merit, give just one ?
Vegan, what are you talking about? I'm not talking about 2021, i'm talking about Max's 10 wins before 2021. You were asking Mech when was that. Stop callai g people liar please. You are the one who always make up stuff against Max.
Ricciardo had 7wins in 4 seasons ( 3 (as a rookie) against the defending 4xWC ) now THAT is very impressive.
@Greg, you know thats not correct. In 2021, the FIA regulations that hampered Mercedes, gave Redbull a performance advantage that Mercedes only caught the end of season. But you keep that lie going my friend.
Max is the same good driver that raced in F1 for 5 to 6 seaons not doing any of what he has being doing that last few seasons , diffrence now is he is in a brilliant car .
You do know that only you and your alter egos have this opinion. All the rest who watches F1 have seen Max shaking up the F1- the FIA rules and have seen that Max single handedly made F1 intresting to watch again.
As for after 2021. It's the other teams that are not delivering.
It's not that RBR has the far dominant PU. They have the best driver and best aero package on their car. So just stop whining!
F1 has always been intresting to watch my friend, been watching for 30 some odd years, if you been attracted to the sport by Max , great, but you're wrong to say F1 has only been intresting because for Max, that's just ridiculous ?
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