Spanish Grand Prix: Presentation and Editorial Predictions
The Spanish Grand Prix takes place once again this year on the Catalunya track, a few kilometers from Barcelona. The teams know this circuit well as it's the location where winter testing is conducted each year. This year, however, unlike other seasons and the usual habits of the teams, the playing field will be leveled due to the intense heat experienced in Spain in August.
On the F1 calendar since 1991, the Barcelona circuit, in addition to hosting races, also holds winter testing, so the drivers know the track like the back of their hand. However, the data acquired during these February tests will be largely inaccurate since temperatures will be much higher this weekend.
It is indeed reported that temperatures will be close to 30 degrees for the different sessions, though there is still uncertainty about Sunday as thunderstorms and rain are forecasted.
It will be necessary to complete 66 laps on Sunday to cross the finish line, after more than 307 km, and the tires will once again be put to the test. The track is not known for favoring overtaking, but Sunday’s weather could play the role of a surprise guest.
The records to beat on the Spanish track
| Session | Driver | Time | Year | |
| 1 | Qualifying | Valtteri Bottas | 1’15″406 | 2019 |
| 2 | Race | Daniel Ricciardo | 1’18″441 | 2018 |
Tires
Pirelli arrives in Spain with the hardest tires in its range. The hard tire will be the C1 compound (white), the medium tire will be the C2 compound (yellow), and the soft tire the C3 compound (red). These are the same tire compounds brought during the British Grand Prix two weeks ago, which allowed for some surprises at the end of the Grand Prix and some nervous moments for Lewis Hamilton.
The weather
Intense heat is expected this weekend in Barcelona, reaching 29°C in the air on Friday with a perceived temperature of 38°C. This heat will lead to a rainstorm on Sunday, potentially impacting the Grand Prix. Temperatures are not expected to drop below 23°C throughout the weekend. This will likely tire both minds and bodies. Beware of lapses in concentration.
The editor’s predictions
Winner of the last three editions, will Lewis Hamilton manage to secure a fourth consecutive victory this weekend? The Motors Inside editorial team shares its predictions:
**Poleman:** Lewis Hamilton emerged as the favorite for pole position. Verstappen and Bottas are considered alternative choices by the editorial team.
Winner: Lewis Hamilton is once again the editorial team’s favorite to win this 6th Grand Prix of the 2020 season. The editorial team sees Bottas and Verstappen making it to the podium. With rain potentially causing disruptions, nothing is certain.
Note that the performances between Racing Point, Ferrari, Renault, McLaren, and AlphaTauri are close, very close. Since the start of the season, we regularly have 6 or 7 different teams in Q3. Enough to bring full suspense for the positions within the points.
“We had a decent winter test there earlier in the year, but the car has changed a bit since then, so I’m looking forward to trying that out.” – @danielricciardo
Read Daniel’s full Q&A ahead of the #SpanishGP:
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