The travelling Formula One show has arrived at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain for the first race in Europe this year. The drivers have more laps at this circuit than any other circuit on the calendar, having completed both pre-season tests here. The race will be followed by a test in the days after the weekend, where teams will try out their new upgrades to the cars.
There is a good possibility of overtaking in the first and second corners of the circuit, although it’s vital for the drivers to get a good line out of turn two in order to gain a lot of speed in the high speed section that follows. Drivers prepare for the first technical section of the circuit as they head into turn five, which requires a lot of traction. After a few more corners, the drivers end up on the back straight and the DRS zone. Traction is the key as drivers arrive at turn ten to enter the most technical portion of the circuit. This leads them into the final chicane where drivers require a near perfect exit in order to maximize their top speed down the main straight and the DRS zone that’s located on it.
It was a shock to see Ferrari beat by both Red Bull drivers during qualifying, meaning that Mercedes won’t have their main rivals as close off of the line. Lewis Hamilton took the pole after a qualifying session that wasn’t hindered by any sort of mechanical issue. Nico Rosberg will be alongside of his teammate as the Silver Arrows lock out the front row of the grid. It seems that this will be Mercedes’ race to win, as Ferrari aren’t able to deliver the pace that they had promised prior to the weekend. It’s a question of which Mercedes car will cross the line first. Rosberg certainly has the confidence and momentum, but Hamilton has the hunger for victory, given the dreadful season that he has had so far.
Daniel Ricciardo starts alongside his new teammate, Max Verstappen, on the second row of the grid. Kimi Räikkönen leads his Ferrari teammate, Sebastian Vettel, as they lock out the third row of the grid. The concern in this race would be whether Ferrari can find enough pace to overtake the Red Bull cars without getting held up too much and missing out on their chance to challenge Mercedes. Max Verstappen is sure to put up a fight against any Ferrari that attempts to overtake him, as he is looking to impress the Red Bull team bosses during his first race on the big team.
At the end of the day, most eyes will be on Mercedes to see if Lewis Hamilton can get his first victory of the season. Rosberg has dominated the season and a lot of people have speculated that the team have been favouring him more than his teammate, so it will be interesting to see if Hamilton can finally pull it off or if another mechanical nightmare puts an end to Hamilton’s chances of victory in Spain.
