Formula 1: Spanish Grand Prix Preview

Formula 1 2021: Spanish Grand Prix Preview

The Aramco Gran Premio De Espana grand prix will take place at the circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya track. Credit: Planet Labs

Round four of the 2021 Formula 1 season takes us to the circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya track for the Aramco Gran Premio De Espana grand prix in Barcelona.

In the first doubleheader of the season, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton’s masterclass in Portugal this past weekend sees him at the top of the drivers’ championship, eight points ahead of Max Verstappen.

Lando Norris carried on his impressive start of the season with a fifth-place finish on Sunday to see him remain third in the championship.

 

Last Year in Spain

Hamilton led every lap of the race after starting on pole position in 2020, it was a similar site on the podium as the Briton was joined by Verstappen and teammate Valterri Bottas.

Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez both impressed in 2020, taking fourth and fifth place respectively.

Daniel Riccardo will be looking to bounce back after being knocked out in Q1 on Sunday, the Australian managed to recover to 9th place. However, if last year’s race is anything to go by, it may be tricky for the Australian to score a haul of points, as he finished 11th place in 2020.

The track

Qualifying on Saturday will be vital for the drivers as Barcelona is notoriously tricky for overtaking.

With 16 turns, this track will truly reveal if this year’s Red Bull car and Verstappen are worthy to take Hamilton and Mercedes’ crown as the track demands a lot of the car’s aerodynamic qualities.

The first two races of this season were pulsating with Hamilton and Verstappen winning one each, Hamilton in Bahrain and Verstappen at Imola. Portimao was a lot more technical as Mercedes got their strategy spot on and Hamilton was able to cruise to victory following a couple of outstanding overtakes on Verstappen and Bottas.

The weather looks clear for Sunday’s race, with it being sunny and an air temperature of 21 degrees celsius.

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel told PlanetF1 : “The last sector is the most crucial. It is very easy to get it wrong and overcook the tyres. A tiny mistake will see you lose quite a big chunk of lap time so the lap isn’t done until you master the last sector.”

Home race for Sainz and Alonso

Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso will both be eager to score points in their home grand prix. Sainz finished outside the points in Portugal after a disastrous second half of the race whilst Alonso recovered from a poor qualifying season to finish in 8th place.

Sainz, who did well in qualifying will be looking to bounce back and score some big points as he is 14 points behind his teammate Charles Leclerc.

Alonso has won the Spanish grand prix twice before, once in 2013 when he was with Ferrari and the other time coming in 2006 when he drove for Renault.

As the races are now coming thick and fast, with the season already set up to be one to remember.