Formula 1 heads to Spain this weekend to race at Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, a track that is acutely familiar to most drivers as it was formerly the home of winter testing for many years. In recent memory Circuit de Catalunya has been considered a Mercedes track with the German marque winning 7 or the last 9 Grands Prix here until Red Bull took a 1-2 finish in 2022. For 2023 the final chicane leading onto the main straight will not be run for the first time since 2007, reducing the circuit from 16 to 14 turns and increasing speed in the final sector. The only driver currently on the grid to have driven this layout: Fernando Alonso.
Red Bull will enter the weekend with confidence that they can continue their winning ways. Look for Ferrari to begin closing the gap with their new Red Bull-esque upgrades but ultimately fall short. Given recent momentum, expect Red Bull to be favorites for the win. On the AlphaTauri side of the garage we can expect one car to finish in the points with the other close behind.
Elsewhere on the grid, look for this to be a general ranking of team performance coming into the race weekend:
1. Red Bull
2. Ferrari
3. Aston Martin
4. Mercedes
5. Alpine
6. McLaren
7. Haas
8. AlphaTauri
9. Williams
10. Alfa Romeo
US TV SCHEDULE
Friday, June 2:
Practice 1 – 7.25AM – ESPN2
Practice 2 – 10.55AM – ESPN2
F1 Show – 12.15PM – ESPN3
Saturday, June 3:
Practice 3 – 6.25AM – ESPN2
Qualifying – 9.55AM –
ESPN
Sunday, June 4:
Grand Prix Sunday (pre-race) – 7.30AM –
ESPN
, ESPN+,
ESPN
Deportes
Spain Grand Prix – 8.55AM –
ESPN
, ESPN+,
ESPN
Deportes
Post-race show – 2PM- ESPN3 / YouTube
Race (re-air) – 7PM –
ESPNEWS
Race (re-air) – 11.30PM –
ESPNEWS
CIRCUIT INFORMATION
Lap data
Lap length: 4.657km (2.892 miles)
Race laps: 66
Race distance: 307.104km (190.826 miles)
Pole position: Left-hand side of the track
Lap record*: 1’18.149 by Max Verstappen, 2021
Maximum speed: 318kph (197.596 mph)
DRS
zone/s (race): Pit straight and straight after Campsa
Car performance
Full throttle: 67%
Longest flat-out section: 1310m
Downforce level: High
Fuel use per lap: 1.7kg
Time penalty per lap of fuel: 0.051s
Strategy
Quickest complete pit stop in 2013: 18.471s by Ferrari
2022 tyres: Hard (C1), Medium (C2), Soft (C3) (2021: Hard (C1), Medium (C2), Soft (C3))
*Fastest lap set during a Grand Prix
2022 RESULTS
Race Info.
Pole: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 1:18.750
Laps: 66
Fast race lap: Sergio Perez, Red Bull, 1:24.108
Podium
1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
2. Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3. George Russell, Mercedes
CURRENT STANDINGS
TRACK MAP & VIDEO
Reply