After a thrilling weekend in Canada, Formula 1 heads to Barcelona this week as Max Verstappen looks to extend his lead at the top in a race where Red Bull Racing is expected to resume its dominance.
The F1 Constructor’s champions have looked beatable this season in less conventional tracks such as Miami, Monaco, and Imola. However, Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya will come as a relief for the champions given the track layout and high-speed corners. Verstappen, however, still believes they won’t be as dominant as the start of the season.
“No, I don’t think it will be like the beginning of the season,” Verstappen said. “We know that normally this is a track that our cars should suit a bit more and we’re excited, of course. But still, we need to make sure that it’s in the right balance window.”
Ferrari, on the other hand, would look to keep their Canadian Grand Prix disappointment behind them and return to podium places this weekend. They have bought some upgrades to their cars this weekend including the modifications to its sidepods. This will highly enhance the car’s performance when the DRS is open.
Mercedes enjoyed a brilliant weekend in Canada following a series of upgrades which saw George Russell finishing 3rd and Lewis Hamilton finishing 4th. The Silver Arrows would again be hopeful of a somewhat similar weekend in Barcelona.
“The truth is over the last three races we have brought so many new parts, visible and invisible to the eye that have contributed milliseconds to more performance,” Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said.
McLaren are the most improved team on the track this season. They have challenged Redbull at the front of the field, in particular Lando Norris, who has made Verstappen’s life at the front very tough. The Papayas will look to continue their good work in Barcelona in their bid to win their first Constructors championship since 1998.
Spanish Grand Prix Timings
| SESSION | GMT | BST | CEST | ET | PT | AEST | JST | IST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FP1 | 11:30 | 12:30 | 13:30 | 07:30 | 04:30 | 21:30 | 20:30 | 17:00 |
| FP2 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 17:00 | 11:00 | 08:00 | 01:00¹ | 00:00¹ | 20:30 |
| FP3 | 10:30 | 11:30 | 12:30 | 06:30 | 03:30 | 20:30¹ | 19:30 | 16:00 |
| Qualifying | 14:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 10:00 | 07:00 | 00:00¹ | 23:00 | 19:30 |
| Race | 13:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 09:00 | 06:00 | 23:00 | 22:00 | 18:30 |
Where to Watch Spanish Grand Prix 2024
Formula 1 fans around the world can enjoy the Spanish Grand Prix weekend on F1 TV Pro. Viewers in the United States can watch the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix through ESPN.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
