Mercedes look set to dominate the constructors’ championship, but as seen previously in Spain their own teammates could be the greatest threat to their success. Below are the key talking points ahead of this weekend’s Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
Will Mercedes win them all?
After six rounds Mercedes have rarely been threatened in direct competition. Aside from Miami — where rivals introduced major upgrades first — no team has consistently matched their pace. Their winning margins have not always been massive, and races such as Monaco were influenced by Safety Car periods, but they have proved competitive on permanent and temporary circuits, on fast layouts and on the slowest track on the calendar.
On paper they look capable of winning every race, an unprecedented feat in Formula 1. The most realistic danger to that ideal might come from intra-team clashes reminiscent of incidents seen at this track in the past — driver conflict can be as damaging as any rival.
Have they really sorted their starts?
Earlier in the season Mercedes’ starts were a weakness, while Ferrari’s launches appeared stronger. Recently Mercedes have made progress and have been losing fewer places off the line across the last few races.
That progress will be tested at Catalunya. Monaco and Montreal both feature some of the shortest runs to the first corner all year, which can conceal starting problems. Catalunya, by contrast, has one of the longest run-offs to turn one and should give a clearer picture of whether Mercedes’ improvements are genuine and consistent.
What does five months’ progress look like?
F1 returns to the Circuit de Catalunya for the first time since the new generation of cars were first trialled there behind closed doors. It offers a useful benchmark to gauge how much the cars and teams have progressed in five months. Lewis Hamilton’s top time of 1’16.348 remains a reference point for comparison as teams evaluate gains in performance and setup.
The next generation
The opening practice session tomorrow will feature several drivers making their first appearances in official F1 running. Multiple IndyCar race-winner Colton Herta will take part for Cadillac, and the reigning Formula 2 champion, Leonardo Fornaroli, will make his debut in Lando Norris’s McLaren.
Other drivers who will appear on timing screens include Ayumu Iwasa at Red Bull (in Isack Hadjar’s car), Frederik Vesti at Mercedes (in Antonelli’s car), Paul Aron at Audi (in Nico Hülkenberg’s car), Dino Beganovic at Ferrari (in Lewis Hamilton’s car) and Luke Browning at Williams (in Alexander Albon’s car). These practice appearances give young talents valuable track time and teams fresh data to evaluate.
Barcelona vs Madrid
This year Spain hosts two world championship rounds for the first time since 2012. The Circuit de Catalunya has been updated since then, with the pedestrian chicane at the end of the lap removed and the final two corners restored to their previous configuration, which affects lap rhythm and setup choices.
F1’s newest venue in Madrid will debut later in the season; comparisons with Catalunya will wait until then. While Madrid is expected to offer a more popular street-track alternative to Valencia’s past layout, the calendar planners have committed long-term with a 10-year deal before the first running has even taken place.
A point for the home favourites?
Three years ago Spain’s two F1 drivers could have been considered realistic contenders for home victories. Today the situation is different for Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr. Both have scored points this season — Alonso managed a gritty 10th in Monaco — but neither is likely to be a favourite for victory this weekend.
That said, Williams have shown occasional form around the fringes of the top 10, which could open opportunities for Sainz if circumstances and strategy fall in his favour.
McLaren’s real 1,000th grand prix?
McLaren recently celebrated what was announced as their 1,000th grand prix in Monaco and will continue to run their commemorative livery this weekend. Strictly speaking, this weekend may be the team’s 1,000th grand prix start. Earlier in the season McLaren’s historical start tally stood at 994, a figure that excludes the 2005 United States Grand Prix where the team took part in practice but did not start the race.
Originally their 1,000th start was scheduled for the fifth round of the year in Miami, but calendar changes delayed the milestone to Monaco. There was further nuance at the Chinese round where McLaren took part in the sprint but neither car started the grand prix, meaning Monaco was counted as their 999th contested grand prix by at least one car. This weekend therefore represents the clearer milestone for their 1,000th start, so the repeated use of the special livery across two events is understandable.
Last year’s unanswered question
Max Verstappen put himself in serious danger of a ban with his dramatic and apparently deliberate collision with George Russell at this race last year. The incident and its fallout clearly affected Verstappen deeply: he reacted strongly earlier this year when a journalist asked about the incident during a press conference.
Having lost last season’s title by fewer points than those he cost himself, Verstappen understands that the collision was a lapse in judgement that had significant consequences. His reluctance to discuss it publicly leaves an unanswered question about what he intended to achieve when he drove into Russell — and that question may well remain unresolved.
Are you going to the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix?
If you’re travelling to Spain for this weekend’s race, we want to hear from you. Share your plans and join the discussion in the event forum:
- Forum: Going to the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya
Who do you think will be the team to beat in this weekend’s race? Have your say below.
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