A dramatic Grand Prix final trip in Montreal noticed a real three-way battle for the win, with McLaren and Ferrari additionally taking a victory every in Might.
Max Verstappen’s early season dominance seems to be gone and the championship chief has been underneath critical strain at current occasions.
The final two races in Monaco and Canada have been held at uncommon tracks although, so the large query is will the shut competitors we’ve had proceed this weekend on the Spanish Grand Prix, which marks the beginning of a triple-header.
Sky Sports activities F1 takes a have a look at why we are going to study so much concerning the true pecking order in Spain and which group is most definitely to problem Crimson Bull.
A circuit with all the pieces
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has lengthy been used as a testing venue for F1 as a result of it has a spread of corners.
A mixture of excessive, medium and low pace turns, plus a protracted predominant straight, means the groups can see how their automotive is robust and what sort of corners they’re missing efficiency.
You typically see a Noah’s Ark grid, the place team-mates line up alongside one another as a result of a transparent pecking order is dictated in qualifying.
The dry circumstances and the groups’ earlier information of the observe makes it simpler to optimise automotive set-up and to extract probably the most from the tyres too, so there is no such thing as a hiding place on the Spanish Grand Prix.
“It’s a very different track to the ones we have had recently,” mentioned former F1 strategist Sky Sports activities F1‘s Bernie Collins.
“We will get a better read on the upgrades McLaren and Ferrari have got. Have Red Bull genuinely slipped down the order?”
“We will answer some questions coming out of this race that. Some people will say this track will favour Red Bull but we don’t know how those upgrades from McLaren and Ferrari have worked, or if Mercedes have genuinely got on top of the gremlins that have been troubling them in the last few years.”
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Quick in Spain, quick all season
Since 2017, the successful automotive of the Spanish Grand Prix has gone on to win that 12 months’s constructors’ championship.
Though Ferrari are 49 factors behind Crimson Bull within the constructor standings, with McLaren an additional 49 factors adrift, that hole can shortly shut down, notably if Sergio Perez continues to battle.
For Ferrari and McLaren to offer themselves a critical likelihood at successful a title this 12 months, they have to present fast tempo this weekend.
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Each groups are anticipated to convey upgrades to Barcelona, with Crimson Bull holding quiet about their improvement plans.
“It’s all about iterations and of course you have to look very carefully where you bring your upgrades through the year,” mentioned group principal Christian Horner.
“We are closer to the top of the curve, so you get into a law of diminishing returns but there will be subtle upgrades over the summer months.”
Pushed by Sky Sports activities F1 on whether or not we are going to see new elements on the RB20 in Spain, Horner added: “It’s possible”.
Excessive tyre degradation and a number of pit stops
The lengthy and excessive pace corners trigger the tyres to wear down shortly, so Pirelli have introduced their three hardest tyre compounds to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Nevertheless, it is usually nonetheless a two or three-stop race, which leaves loads of strategic choices. This has led to groups splitting technique previously and there may be at all times intrigue all through the Grand Prix as plans change, relying on the race state of affairs.
“Last year saw the removal of the last chicane, which led to more overtaking in the race,” defined Collins.
“We last saw the three hardest tyre compounds, the C1, C2 and C3 in Japan and Bahrain, so the teams have less data on the C1 compared to all other compounds this season.
“In 2023, all three compounds the place used all through the Spanish Grand Prix however in 2022 the laborious tyre was too gradual.
“High tyre degradation leads to a powerful undercut, however it is not a track position race so many have made the mistake of gaining track position by stopping too early or not converting to an additional stop lap early enough. This race is more like Bahrain in that optimum stop laps will lead to a better finishing position.”
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Forward of this weekend’s Grand Prix, try among the finest earlier races from Spain
Sky Sports activities F1’s reside Spanish GP schedule
Thursday June 20
1.30pm: Drivers’ Press Convention
Friday June 21
7.45am: F1 Academy Observe
8:50am: F3 Observe
10am: F2 Observe
12pm: Spanish GP Observe One (session begins at 12.30pm)
1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
2.50pm: F2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Spanish GP Observe Two (session begins at 4pm)
5.25pm: F1 Academy Qualifying
6.15pm: The F1 Present
Saturday June 22
9.35am: F3 Dash
11.15am: Spanish Romagna GP Observe Three (session begins at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Dash
2.10pm: Spanish GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Spanish GP Qualifying
5pm: F1 Academy Race 1
Sunday June 23
7.45am: F1 Academy Race 2
9am: F3 Characteristic Race
10.30am: F2 Characteristic Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Spanish GP build-up
2pm: The SPANISH GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Spanish GP response
System 1 heads again to Europe because the championship strikes on to Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix and the beginning of a triple-header. Watch each session on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend, reside on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime
