Upgrades up and down the pitlane, new track configuration, a championship contender looking to bounce back from a disappointing weekend, and a likely home hero—there's plenty to look forward to in this year's Spanish Grand Prix.
Team Upgrades Half of the pitlane will be bringing new upgrades at the Spanish GP, marking the first 'traditional' track on the calendar since the season opener in Bahrain. While some of these upgrades may not be as obvious and visible to the naked eye, Ferrari has taken a bold step by adopting a new Red Bull-esque sidepod design, along with a new floor to match it. Mercedes is hoping to build on their new concept that debuted last weekend in Monaco, and with the help of a more favorable circuit they hope to establish a proper baseline for further development over the season. Red Bull, on the other hand, has made minor upgrades as they aim look to maintain their early-season dominance, having won seven out of seven races this season and securing a bonus Sprint win in Baku.
New Track Having been on the F1 calendar since the early nineties, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has undergone several changes, including a reprofile of the Turn 10 hairpin in 2021. Most recently, and perhaps more exciting for the fans, the final sector chicane, which forced drivers to brake hard just before going back to full throttle on the main straight, has been removed. With this, drivers will hopefully be able to go flat from Turn 12 through to Turn 14 improving the effectiveness of the DRS zone on the main straight and hopefully allowing drivers to battle for an extended period thus improving the chances of an overtake into Turn 1.
Perez Bounce Back? After a disappointing Monaco Grand Prix that saw him finish 2 laps behind his teammate in P16, Sergio Perez hopes to restore his early-season form and close the 39-point gap to Verstappen. Considering Red Bull's advantage relative to the rest of the field, Perez could be the closest challenger to Verstappen this season and fans hope that he will take the fight to the double world champion, salvaging a championship that seems to have already been decided just three months in. It's hard to see where Verstappen could fall short this weekend, leaving the onus on Perez to have a clean weekend right from FP1 and gradually build up through qualifying and into the Grand Prix.
Alonso's Homecoming For the first time, arguably in the history of the Spanish Grand Prix, the home crowd has two drivers with a realistic chance of winning. Carlos Sainz, in his Ferrari, has a decent opportunity to grasp the top step of the podium. However, the more likely favorite will be Fernando Alonso, who, for the first time in close to a decade, will be entering his home Grand Prix off the back of five podium finishes, including a recent P2 in Monaco. The team believes that it will take a momentous occasion to surpass both Red Bulls. However, if history is anything to go by, first-lap crashes between teammates in the outright front-running car are very much a possibility (flashbacks of Spain 2016 with Hamilton and Rosberg). And if there's anyone you can bet on to take advantage in that situation, it would be Fernando Alonso.
The Spanish Grand Prix has been quite lackluster in recent years, but with so much to look forward to this weekend, it is definitely worth keeping your eyes peeled. Stay with us over the weekend for the latest updates and reviews as they happen at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
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