It’s race week once again and time for Round 10 of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship as the pinnacle of motorsport heads to Circuit de Catalunya for the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen was victorious at the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix and the 2023 event too, with a double Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team podium on race day in 2023 and the Dutchman will be hoping to further extend his Drivers Championship lead on Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris as F1 returns to Europe and to a circuit that should suit Oracle Red Bull Racing’s RB20 much better than the previous two rounds in Monaco and Canada.
It will be a key weekend for Mercedes as they will hope to show similar pace to what we saw in Canada, where George Russell secured pole position and a podium in the race, with pace that was good enough for a potential race win. Lewis Hamilton will be hoping for a better qualifying if he is to challenge near the top end too – the seven time world champion is yet to start a race within the top six.
It’s a home race for Carlos Sainz Jr. and Fernando Alonso. The former will be looking to bounce back from a Q2 exit, retirement in the race and an overall disappointing weekend in Montreal last time out. The latter will be hoping for a bit more pace with Aston Martin Armaco F1 Team. Lawrence Stroll’s team haven’t developed the car as they would’ve liked so far this but a double points finish in Canada was a step in the right direction as they look to close the gap on the front runners.
Head of the midfield, Visa Cash App RB are set to be bringing upgrades to the Spanish Grand Prix, which is good news for Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo. Tsunoda will be hoping for another points finish after spinning out of the top ten during the Canadian Grand Prix, while Ricciardo will be wanting to build on his performance in Montreal and have another positive weekend.
WIth Red Bull, McLaren F1 Team, Scuderia Ferrari and Mercedes as the established top four, with Aston Martin and RB firmly fifth and sixth, there are minimal opportunities to score points for the lower reaches of the grid. BWT Alpine F1 Team scored double points last time out for the first team this season, while Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber are looking to get themselves off the mark and off the bottom of the Constructors Championship.
The Spanish Grand Prix is the first race of a triple header that includes the Austrian and British Grand Prix’s, and starting off with a good result could be key for either Verstappen’s championship hopes, or potentially even a title challenger if Red Bull’s fortunes don’t change.
It will certainly be an interesting weekend as a whole, with plenty of things to watch from the top of the order, right down to the bottom.
