By Joe Murphy
As per usual, Wheel2Wheel brings you five possible scenarios that could play out in this weekend’s event. As Formula 1 heads to Barcelona for a few days of racing in the Catalonian sun, there are some questions that need to be answered, following events in Miami just under two weeks ago. Let’s crack on…
Max to go big, or go bust…
There is a strong chance that Max Verstappen qualifies on the front row for this Sunday’s race. I would even go as far as saying it is likely. However, with Turn 1 a crucial corner, there could be an incident involving his Red Bull. It may or may not be directly his fault, but there is a possibility that he gets spun round in a racing incident. Charles Leclerc may stick his elbows out to such an extent that contact between the two is inevitable. As for the Dutchman, he never backs down and races with a ‘Senna-like’ attitude. The problem is that it could genuinely backfire this time…
Happy homecomings for Carlos, less so for Fernando…
Carlos Sainz is hoping for another strong performance this weekend as he prepares to race in front of his fellow Spaniards in his home race. The same cannot be said for Alpine driver Fernando Alonso, who will also be hoping to recreate some of his previous magic at this venue, including his last win to date, nearly 10 years ago. I use the word ‘hope, intentionally. Whilst success for the two teams of Ferrari and Alpine is most definitely defined differently, expect both to have strong respective showings, over the course of the weekend. For the former, Carlos will be aiming for at least a podium, whereas his older counterpart will be looking to add some decent points to his already accumulated haul. However, the younger of the two is certainly the man most likely to have a good result. The veteran could be slower than many expect, around this circuit.
McLaren to have a positive weekend…
And boy, do they need it! Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris (especially the latter) have both struggled to recreate the results the team achieved last year. The car seems a mile off the same one that achieved victory for the Australian in Monza and gifted Lando multiple podiums. However, there is potential there. The Orange car is still a competitive machine and looks on par with the Alpine pair and Mercedes’ on current form. The drivers themselves will also be eager to showcase their talents at this circuit, where the car should be suited to the conditions. They are still in the fight for P3 in the Constructor’s Championship, but will need to start becoming more consistent, if they are to see off the challenge of the teams around them.
Can Pierre surprise us?
You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Pierre Gasly and his team, are still in Formula 1. Not that him or his teammate have been specifically ‘bad’, it’s more a case that their performances are currently underwhelming fans. Alpha Tauri haven’t scored many points, and the car seems to be less competitive since the regulation changes. This circuit, however, is one the Frenchman specifically knows well. Aside from being a bystander when Grosjean went spinning a few years ago, he has enjoyed relative success at this venue. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, the man who drives car number 10 will be hoping to start making waves in the sport, once again. This suddenly becomes a priority when you consider the positive starts Alex Albon and Sergio Perez have made to the season. No better time than the present for Gasly to show us what he can do.
More than five DNF’s this race?
As hinted at the start of this piece, the race could bring multiple incidents and collisions. Whilst this Spanish Grand Prix isn’t particularly famed for its excitement, and by predicting such I am leaving myself open to a huge miss-swing, I could see five or more cars not seeing the final lap come late Sunday afternoon. Whilst nobody likes to call for crashes or mechanical failures, they are a staple of Formula 1. The odds of rain are extremely low, making this even less likely, but this is a track for a tough car, one that is durable. I predict a multitude of problems up and down the grid. Predicting who, when and how is equal parts impossible and unfair. Max is a logical option because of his ‘do-or-die’ mentality. As for the others, well it could be just about anyone. Lewis Hamilton cannot catch a break, neither can Mick Schumacher. This weekend they, like many others, could either see their suffering continue, or take the opportunity by achieveing a brilliant result, due to the misfortune of others.
Disagree? Let me know what your predictions are in the comments…
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