Spanish Grand Prix – Editor’s presentation and predictions

Formula 1 returns to the Barcelona-Catalonia circuit, one of its favorite tracks. This is traditionally the location for preseason testing, a habit interrupted this year due to the health crisis that forced teams to prepare in Bahrain. Hence, this first appearance of the year in Spain, in Montmelo, a city 30 kilometers north of Barcelona.

Time for the 51st edition of the Spanish Grand Prix, the 31st held on the Catalan circuit.

A classic slightly modified

The drivers could drive with their eyes closed… until the 10th turn. The major innovation of this edition is discussed after the 2nd longest straight line of the circuit, which is also the 2nd DRS zone.

The 10th corner was delayed by a few meters and the hairpin radius was widened. This accentuates the possibilities of overtaking on a circuit… where it is difficult to pass.

An opportunity arises as early as Turn 1, a big braking zone after 1 kilometer and 310 meters of straight line. The rest of the track is a palette of what can be found throughout the season, with fast corners in the first sector, with the 3rd corner, a long right-hand curve, which leads to the 4th corner “Repsol,” famous for the collision between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in 2016.

The second sector offers tighter turns between T4 and T9, the fast right-hand curve “Campsa”, before returning to the new 10th turn and a third sector that is even more twisty. Watch out for the high curbs in the last chicane of turns 14 and 15!

At Montmelo, 16 turns await the drivers, for a lap done at an average speed of 200 km/h. The reference time? Lewis Hamilton’s pole in 2020, at 1’15’584”.

In the end, a braking support circuit that allows teams to position themselves in the hierarchy.

Barcelona and F1, already an old couple

Arrived on September 29, 1991 with a victory by Nigel Mansell neck and neck with Ayrton Senna, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has already hosted 30 editions of the Spanish Grand Prix.

The first victory of Michael Schumacher with Ferrari under pouring rain in 1996, the breakdown in the last lap of Mika Hakkinen while leading in 2001, the wins of Fernando Alonso in front of his home crowd in 2006 and 2013, or the surprise of Pastor Maldonado in 2012: even though the Barcelona circuit is known to be not very spectacular, it has still provided some great moments in the history of F1.

Without forgetting the first success of Max Verstappen in his first race for Red Bull in 2016, after the Hamilton-Rosberg crash already mentioned in the article. 5 years later, the Dutch driver will compete in his 100th Grand Prix for Red Bull on Sunday, May 2, 2021.

But since, the boss is Lewis Hamilton! 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020: the British driver is on a streak of 4 consecutive victories.

Pirelli’s choice for the Grand Prix weekend

Round 2 of our back-to-back Race Weeks! #SpanishGP ????????
Learn all about this weekend: https://t.co/7Nnnrxdx2Y pic.twitter.com/i6qS9KuOXz

— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) May 3, 2021

What perspectives in Barcelona? The Motors Inside editorial preview.

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The editorial predictions

So, what are the editorial team’s bets?

And you? What are your favorites for this Spanish Grand Prix?

The start of the Grand Prix will be given this Sunday, May 9 at 3:00 p.m. Find the schedules to know with our TV program!