Formula 1 completes its run of three consecutive European races this weekend with the Spanish Grand Prix.
A significant rule change arrives as the championship passes the one-third mark. Will this change the pecking order we’ve seen over the opening races?
Here are the talking points as F1 heads to the Circuit de Catalunya.
Game-changer?
Eyebrows were raised when the FIA announced before the season began it would introduce tougher front wing stiffness checks from the ninth round. Why not from the start of the season?
Every team on the grid may insist the coming change is unlikely to blunt their performance. But with the field so close this year, a few hundredths of a second one way or the other could have major consequences in the midfield or even the fight for the championships.
Some teams have openly declared they are looking to the coming change with high expectations. “I think a turning point for the season will be in Barcelona, with a new front wing,” said Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc last month. “I hope it can play a little in our favour.”
Detecting what change the rule change makes, if any, may be tricky. Not least because the most recent round of the championship took place at Monaco, a highly unusual circuit which often produces ‘outlier’ results.
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That was clearly the case this year. Several teams were markedly less competitive than usual, such as Red Bull, Mercedes and Alpine, while others like Ferrari enjoyed their best weekends of the season.
For a useful point of reference for this weekend’s race, other venues characterised by medium-to-high speed corners such as Imola or Suzuka are likely to prove more representative.
Monaco fall-out
Was the special rule F1 introduced for the Monaco Grand Prix a success? If you have to ask, the answer is ‘obviously not’.
Last weekend’s spectacle consisted of F1 strategists figuring out how not to lose any positions while squeezing in two pit stops at a track where they don’t need to make any. And virtually all of them succeeded, using one car to hold up a queue of rivals for many laps if needed.
Does F1 really want to be seen as the series where teams spend nine-figure sums to build the fastest racing cars in the world, then deliberately drive them vastly slower than they’re capable of going? And what should be done about other concerning aspects of the Monaco ‘race’, such as George Russell deliberately cutting a corner to overtake a rival, which prompted a concerned reaction from Sauber?
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Another permanent track disappearing
F1 is saying a long goodbye to the Circuit de Catalunya. Next year the Spanish Grand Prix will take place at a new part-street track in Madrid, to be called the Madring, construction of which has already begun.
This continues F1’s trend for replacing permanent circuits with temporary venues. Catalunya has never been regarded as one of F1’s best venues, but what do drivers make of the plans for the Madring, a simulation of which was revealed earlier this year?
We can probably guess the views of Spain’s two drivers: Carlos Sainz Jnr is an ambassador for the Madring while Fernando Alonso has taken up the same role for Barcelona’s track.
The Circuit de Catalunya still has a contract to appear on the 2026 F1 calendar, but it remains to be seen what F1 will call what is expected to be the final race at the track.
Big hopes for home drivers
Spain’s two F1 drivers arrive at their home race knowing they are capable of better results than they’ve enjoyed so far.
If Alonso fails to score this weekend it will be his first point-less start to a season since his debut in the championship 24 years ago. He was on course for sixth place when his power unit failed last weekend.
Sainz has racked up points for Williams but could have had some much higher finishes with slightly better luck or more polished team tactics. But he’s often gone well at his home track and seems to be increasingly comfortable at his new team, so he is undoubtedly one to watch.
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Another rookie debut
As F1 teams work to squeeze in twice as many rookie practice appearances as last year, one team will give an opportunity to a newcomer this weekend.
Victor Martins, the Formula 3 champion of three years ago, will make his debut in an official F1 practice session for Williams. He will take over Alexander Albon’s car.
He won’t be the only change from the usual driver line-up on Friday as Ryo Hirakawa will also return to drive for Haas again in first practice. He will take over Esteban Ocon’s car.
So far every team has announced or completed at least one of their four junior driver runs this year. Haas is the only one to have detailed its full schedule. This is Hirakawa’s second of four appearances for the team, having also driven for Alpine at Suzuka.
Are you going to the Spanish Grand Prix?
If you’re heading to Spain for this weekend’s race, we want to hear from you:
Who do you think will be the team to beat in the Spanish Grand Prix? Have your say below.
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