4 important questions before you qualify at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix

Practicing two hours are in the books at Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.

However, can the ten teams use the data about those two hours well and unlock more performance in today’s critical qualifying session?

That is the most important question that is eligible, but here are four others who will tell the ultimate story of qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Can someone catch McLaren?

After weeks of speculation with regard to the impact of the new technical guideline with regard to front wings that came into force this week, and how those strict tests could influence the schedule, McLaren looked so strong as always in Friday’s two practice sessions.

Lando Norris was at the top of the timing magazines in FP1 and it was Oscar Piastri who was at the forefront of FP2. Piastri was not only the fastest in general, but the McLaren driver placed the fastest time in each of the three sectors during his Tempo setting round.

However, some rivals from McLaren can spoil the Papaya party on Saturday.

Mercedes concentrated on long runs during FP1, because both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell completed programs that were aimed at the C2 Medium Band and the C1 Hard Compound. When FP2 rolled around, both drivers, however, got stuck on the C3 soft tires, and Russell ended in P2, with Antonelli in P6. “Our qualifying runs looked decent in the second practice session, and it was nice to be closer to where we hope to be in terms of performance,” said Russell after the session.

Then there is Max Verstappen. Qualifications simulations of the official F1 channel actually have the Red Bull Driver level with McLaren:

Verstappen sounded free on Friday after the session, which has not always been the case this year.

“It is always nice to be here – the song is always very nice to drive,” Verstappen noted on Friday. “It is also pretty hot outside of it, especially for the tires. But I think it was a good Friday – we had worse Friday!

“I felt a bit happier with the car, we are still not where we want to be, but it was definitely a bit more positive.”

This scenario finished before this season – McLaren looks the strongest during the week and Verstappen takes up a pole on Saturday – and it would not be a shock if that would happen again in Barcelona.

Are we still working on a VCARB surprise?

Last week before the Monaco Grand Prix we predicted that Visa Cash App Racing Bulls might have something to qualify. That is exactly what happened, because both Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson stormed Q3 and formed the stage for a double point result for the team in the Grand Prix itself.

Are we about to see both young drivers again in Q3 for the second consecutive week?

Hadjar finished eighth in FP1 and the ninth in FP2, while Lawson completed the first session in P6 and the second session in P10. In addition, the F1 qualifying simulation data as noted above VCARB as the sixth fastest team, just behind Aston Martin.

The practical results, as well as the simulation data, both placed Hadjar and Lawson at a striking distance from Q3.

“On the way to the weekend, I still have faith in the car. We had some work to do today, and although we are not yet completely happy with the balance, it is always difficult to do this circuit with high job temperatures,” Hadjar said in the post-practice report of the team. “We are optimistic that we can make the necessary changes and be competitive tomorrow. It will be tight with the other midfield teams, but everything is still to play in qualifying.”

Can Williams save something?

On the way to the weekend, Williams’s word was that the circuit in Barcelona would not fit the FW47.

Friday’s results did little to increase expectations. Carlos Sainz Jr. Finished 15th in FP1 and 14th in FP2, and after having been FP1 in favor of the young driver Victor Martins (who finished P19 in the first session) Alex Albon climbed back in the car to end 15th in FP2.

“It was difficult there today, but we expected it. The type of corners here is not the best for our car and from the start of FP1 I felt how difficult it was,” said Sainz after the session in the team’s post-practice Medir report. “We have tried to make a number of set -up changes, and they seemed to go in the right direction, but we still can’t find enough round time to go on. We will try to take another step for tomorrow, because a lot to understand and work on, but we will continue to push all weekend!”

Williams placed both Sainz and Albon in the points in each of the last four Grands Prix, but they may need something special to keep that streak alive as qualifying looms.

Can Ferrari find a little more pace for Saturday?

F1’s racing simulation data Ferrari place as the third team in the pecking order for the Spanish Grand Prix, behind McLaren and Red Bull:

But as we recently saw from the Scuderia, a question mark will remain on Saturday. The qualifying simulation data places Ferrari behind Mercedes and in no way makes a lock to Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

Team director Frederic Vasseur trivialized some of the stricter radio messages of the day from Hamilton, who at one point called the SF-25 “unddrivable”.

The comments were a bit extreme on the radio today, but [Hamilton] also did a strong last stint with the soft [tire]In the lap time of the first two, “Vasseur said to Sky Sports F1.

“It means that the car might not be as terrible as it said on the radio.

“But again, for me the comments they make in the car are not a drama, as long as they are back and we have a constructive debriefing.”

Speaking after the session, Hamilton outlined that he was hoping for better on Friday.

“To be honest, I thought the car would be good today,” said Hamilton after FP2. “It wasn’t that bad at P1, but P2 was much worse. Of course that is frustrating for everyone, but we had some problems, which meant that we lost some downforce. Hopefully, with that solved for tomorrow, we will be in a better place.”

His teammate sounded a bit more optimistic.

“It was a bit more positive than what we expected to come here, so that’s good,” said Leclerc.

“There are more achievements in the car, which I hope we will unlock tomorrow.”