+++ Formula 1 Barcelona: The starting grid +++
Pirelli’s strategy recommendations for the race
The asphalt here is generally hard and brutal, as mentioned, the left front tire suffers enormously regardless of the temperature. Pirelli and the teams are sure: two stops. From lap 13 onwards, the window for the optimal strategies opens. Anyone who wants to drive soft-hard-soft must then drive on the hard until at least lap 42, then can switch again. Anyone who wants to drive soft-medium-soft should wait until lap 15, then switch to medium to give themselves some leeway at the end. Anyone who stops before lap 13 runs the risk of being forced into a three-stopper by the high loads.
Big tyre challenge today in Barcelona
The weather could decide the race – because the teams had actually all planned for the cooler track temperatures today. And so they probably put little emphasis on protecting the rear tires and concentrated on the front tires, which are critical at all temperatures. If it gets hotter than expected, the rear tires could have serious problems. In fact, there is a reason to be nervous right now: the sun keeps coming out. Will it even clear up? And in the F2 and F3 races, wear was higher than expected. We remember – Red Bull had too much understeer on Friday, and probably went too easy on the rear axle. On Saturday, they fitted a different rear wing to the car to go the opposite way. Could that be a problem for them today?
Race today: No rain, no heat
So far, the weather forecast seems accurate. Rain showers in the morning, a little drizzle in the morning, now the sun is out with light clouds. “This has a pretty big impact here, almost nowhere else do high temperatures cause so much overheating at the rear,” says Aston Martin’s chief engineer Tom McCullough. The fact that we could see up to 20 degrees lower track temperature today than in practice could have a huge impact. Because the left front tire is always the limiting factor here because of the long corners. But if it’s hot, you need a compromise setup to protect the rear tires too. If it’s cool, they generally don’t overheat and you can concentrate purely on the front tire.
Check favorites for today’s Spanish GP
Formula 1 is getting tighter and tighter, and as Max Verstappen said yesterday: Red Bull’s advantage is gone. Lando Norris identified eight drivers yesterday who could win the Grand Prix today. Will it really be a gigantic showdown? Or do Verstappen and Lando Norris have an advantage? We’re analyzing the situation here in our favorites check: Norris, Verstappen or Mercedes? Who will come out on top?
All information about F1 Saturday in Barcelona
If you would like to have a summary of the most important news and stories from the Barcelona paddock shortly before the start today – from McLaren’s hospitality brand to the pole – we have our compact 10-minute VLog for you.
What is McLaren doing today without accommodation?
As we mentioned yesterday, the hospitality facility is not needed for the team’s operations on the track; that is all done in trucks and in the garage. Formula 1 is pooling its resources for catering and premises today: Motorsport boss Zak Brown is allowed to use the office of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. F1 itself, along with suppliers Do & Co, and Mercedes are helping out with food.
McLaren without hospitality for the time being
After yesterday’s fire at McLaren, we now have the latest updates on the team’s hospitality facility. It is currently unusable, and since McLaren only has one, they will be renting it at short notice for the Austrian GP next week. There is still hope for Silverstone, the most damage was caused in the attached kitchen trailer. They just had to cut open the partition walls to get to the smoldering fire. We probably won’t know more until Monday.
F2: Aron makes a mistake, Crawford wins
Formula 2 has just finished its main race. The rain had stopped in the meantime, but briefly returned as a drizzle. Sprint winner Victor Martins collided with a spinning Dennis Hauger at the start. Aron led after the safety car, but lost P1 to Jak Crawford after a slow stop. While trying to prepare a counterattack, Aron slid into the gravel in the last corner. The field finally sorted itself out with Crawford ahead of Franco Colapinto and Juan Manuel Correa. Second attempt for Correa this weekend. Yesterday he had already celebrated his first podium since his serious accident in Spa in 2019, but then lost it due to track limits. Aron remained P4 ahead of Isack Hadjar and the two Invicta drivers Kush Maini and Gabriel Bortoleto, who collided on the last lap! Zane Maloney, Amaury Cordeel and Pepe Martin completed the points positions.
F3: Lindblad first repeat offender for 2024
The junior classes were already out and about today. In Formula 3, it took until Sunday in Barcelona, but finally a driver has taken his second win of the season here. Arvid Lindblad wrestled the lead from poleman Christian Mansell on lap 5 and didn’t look back. Mansell was able to secure P2, however, while the last podium place was hard fought over in the final laps. Luke Browning, Nikola Tsolov and Leonardo Fornaroli provided some action. Plus a rain shower practically on the finish line. Fornaroli overtook both in front of him in the final phase, just before the heavy rain came. In that, Oliver Goethe also pushed past Browning to P4. Tsolov, Alex Dunne, Mari Boya, Dino Beganovic and Noel Leon completed the points positions. Tim Tramnitz took P12, Charlie Wurz P14, Sophia Flörsch P18.
STRAFE: Alex Albon
Nice motivation for Alex Albon to start the day. Well, he was on the second to last starting position. Given the almost non-existent expectations for today, Williams decided to use the opportunity and install the third control electronics and the third hybrid battery. This means he is exceeding the limit, and on top of that it happened under parc ferme, which means starting from the pits. This means that team-mate Logan Sargeant qualified in P20, received three penalty places for impeding Lance Stroll, and will start from P19. Higher F1 math.
Welcome to Formula 1 race day in Barcelona!
Yesterday’s qualifying offered a classic showdown at the highest level, can today’s race in Spain keep up? So far, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have not given each other anything at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and the race preparations suggest that it will be no different from start to finish. It starts at 3:00 p.m., and we’ll be there live from now on.
