Ferrari doesn't even want to think about the winter tests. Now it's back to Barcelona in hot Catalonia. A Mercedes route in recent years. But the industry leader worries: The tires, especially in combination with high heat.
Barcelona (AP) - The next Grand Prix three-pack is about to be concluded. For some like Sebastian Vettel in Ferrari, things can (almost) only get better.
Others like Formula 1 superstar Lewis Hamilton are wondering whether the balance of power with a superior Mercedes team will be straightened out again at the Spanish Grand Prix, or whether Max Verstappen can again heat up the Silver Arrows in the Red Bull - which will be hot it anyway.
How is the relationship between Vettel and Ferrari after the recent sporting failure?
It's a farewell without warmth. How broken the liaison is has long been revealed. The radio scolding of the 33-year-old four-time world champion last in Silverstone was evidence of this. Now he is getting a new chassis. Last way out, but possibly something like the last excuse preventer. Vettel always quarreled with the car. But a new chassis does not automatically mean that everything will now fit. If the German continues to do significantly worse than his Monegasque teammate Charles Leclerc, this should not have a more beneficial effect on the frosty internal relationship.
How familiar are the drivers with the course?
There are 4.655 kilometers that the current Formula 1 generation knows perfectly. Not only has a Grand Prix been held annually on the circuit near Barcelona since 1991, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is also the pre-season test track par excellence. It was no different this year, when nothing else was normal. In February, the teams completed their trial rounds there over six days. And even then it became clear that the Ferrari would have problems this season.
What is different from the usual race in Spain?
In February during the tests there was already snow in Catalonia or low single-digit temperatures. In non-Corona times, the Spanish Grand Prix always marks the start of Europe after the first overseas races. It will then be driven in May. In August, the ultimate summer month, there was no Formula 1 race on the track. So at least one component comes into play this year: the heat. And that, in turn, can make the tires race-critical, like last time at Silverstone. Industry leader Mercedes, of all things, was particularly affected.
Who is particularly interested in the course?
In 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 the winner was Lewis Hamilton. Unbeaten in the past three years, the six-time world champion is actually the clear top favorite in Spain, if it weren't for the worry about the overused tires at the last two races in Silverstone. But there was one thing that made Mercedes an outstanding team and long-term winner since the return of the turbo drives for the 2014 season: After defeats, the Silver Arrows almost always came back stronger.
What tire compounds does Pirelli provide?
The Italian exclusive supplier gives the teams the three toughest mixtures for the race weekend. That corresponds to the tire sets from Silverstone almost two weeks ago, when Hamilton and his teammate Valtteri Bottas each had a tire blown.
Does Nico Hülkenberg get another chance?
Everything points to the fact that Hülkenberg's short comeback has already ended. On Wednesday evening, Racing Point also sent out a question and answer session with Sergio Perez and an interview with Lance Stroll in its preview of the race. Perez had recently missed two Grand Prix due to positive corona tests. A decision on who will compete for the team in the sixth race of the season is to be announced this Thursday. It depends on the test result for the Mexican Perez.
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