Spanish Grand Prix F1 qualifying storylines: Mercedes’ day?

By way of 9 races, the 2024 Components 1 season has provided many twists and turns.

The newest curveball? George Russell pipping Max Verstappen for pole place on the Canadian Grand Prix. Each drivers completed with the identical time, however because of the Mercedes driver posting his time first, Russell secured the workforce’s first pole place of the season. Whereas Verstappen claimed victory on Sunday, Russell completed on the rostrum in third, the primary time Mercedes tasted a podium end in a Grand Prix this season.

With teammate Lewis Hamilton ending simply behind him in fourth — and securing the bonus level for the quickest lap of the race — it was the workforce’s greatest results of the complete season.

Now, on the cusp of qualifying on the Spanish Grand Prix, are they poised for an excellent higher day?

Friday’s practices noticed the Mercedes duo close to or on the prime of the timing sheets in each classes. Russell completed P4 within the first session, with Hamilton shut behind in P7, and FP2 was even kinder to the Silver Arrows. Russell posted the eighth-fastest time, however Hamilton topped all of them, edging out Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris to prime the sphere.

May Mercedes be poised for an additional robust qualifying session in Barcelona?

“FP1 wasn’t the very best session for us however we nonetheless discovered quite a bit. FP2 was so much higher although and the automobile was feeling nice,” stated Hamilton within the workforce’s post-practice report. “The observe was extremely popular, so it was powerful on the [tires], particularly on the long term. Total, although, it didn’t really feel like we have been too far off being proper within the combine on the entrance.”

Russell shared his teammate’s evaluation, even when he cautioned Mercedes supporters that it was solely Friday.

“We had a great day on observe right this moment. The automobile was performing rather well round this circuit. It was encouraging to see Lewis prime of the timesheets and we have been persistently on the entrance,” started Russell.

”Our long term tempo in FP1 was aggressive. In FP2, it appeared that our single lap tempo was barely stronger than our long term velocity however general, the automobile is feeling robust. It’s only Friday, but it surely has been some time since we’ve been persistently on the higher finish of the sphere,” continued the Mercedes driver. “I’m feeling good and excited as that is what we’ve been chasing for some time. We gained’t get forward of ourselves although and can work diligently tonight and tomorrow to organize as greatest as we are able to for Qualifying and Sunday’s Grand Prix.”

The robust Friday comes at an fascinating time for the Brackley-based workforce. Reviews surfaced this week of an nameless e mail despatched to F1 journalists concerning the therapy of Hamilton by the workforce. Whereas SB Nation has not reviewed the e-mail, a report from Reuters described the e-mail as “ … purporting to be from an insider” and that it “… accused the Components One workforce of sabotaging their departing seven instances world champion Lewis Hamilton.”

Workforce Principal Toto Wolff blasted the e-mail on the FIA Press Convention on Friday, even informing the media in Barcelona that the police have been introduced in concerning the matter.

By no means a uninteresting second in F1.

… Alpine?

Photograph by Clive Rose/Getty Pictures

Friday’s first follow session confirmed some promise for Alpine, as Esteban Ocon completed inside the highest ten and teammate Pierre Gasly was simply outdoors in P13.

FP2 was even higher for the workforce.

When the checkered flag flew on the finish of Friday’s second follow session Ocon was inside the highest ten in P9, and it was Gasly who supplied the true stunner, as he completed fourth within the session.

After a tumultuous begin to the season, is Alpine on the verge of an absolute shocker in Barcelona?

Even the workforce appeared shocked at their robust efficiency.

“To finish the day with each automobiles within the top-10 is a bit of bit surprising from the place we thought we’d be getting into the weekend on this explicit observe. Clearly, we have no idea what the others are doing however general, it’s a optimistic begin to the weekend,” stated Ocon within the workforce’s post-practice report. “It was not the very best lap on the C3 [tire] for me in Free Observe 2 with some site visitors and there have been a number of interruptions in each the lengthy and quick runs. There are positively enhancements we are able to make with the intention to discover lap time, so we are going to maintain digging and attempt to make steps ahead for tomorrow’s Qualifying, which is essential round this observe.”

Gasly surmised that the end result in all probability “flatters” the workforce.

“It’s been a optimistic Friday for us, particularly Free Observe 2. The top end result, ending in fourth place, in all probability flatters us and it was definitely a shock, however a pleasing shock, and one which brings a smile to my face! In Free Observe 1, we had some minor aerodynamic points on the automobile, which we needed to repair,” added Gasly. “As soon as we did that, the automobile felt good proper from the beginning of the second session. We’ve got a robust baseline to work from and my push lap on the C3 was good however I’m not utterly snug within the automobile. There are some issues we have to high-quality tune with the goal of feeling even higher within the automobile tomorrow when it counts.”

If there’s a workforce in want of some flattery, it’s definitely Alpine. Even their end in Montreal — their first double-points end of the season — was not with out some controversy, as Ocon appeared annoyed after the race at some workforce orders that have been handed down within the closing phases of the Canadian Grand Prix.

Then there was the opposite bit of reports on Friday, the announcement that Alpine was bringing Flavio Briatore aboard in an govt position:

Briatore is a long-time F1 determine and has what you may name a little bit of a checkered previous. He was convicted in Italy on fraud costs through the Eighties, earlier than his F1 profession, and a long time later was compelled to resign from the ING Renault F1 workforce on account of his involvement within the “Crashgate” scandal surrounding the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Briatore was then banned indefinitely from any occasions sanctioned by the FIA, a ban that was later overturned by a French tribunal.

The appointment was a spotlight in Friday’s FIA Press Convention when Alpine Workforce Principal Bruno Famin was repeatedly questioned in regards to the transfer.

“I already answered questions in regards to the previous and I don’t actually thoughts in regards to the previous. I’m all the time wanting about future and making an attempt what we are able to get and to get our workforce higher,” stated Famin in response to questions from David Croft of Sky Sports activities F1. “And that’s actually our aim. And what I see with having Flavio as an advisor of the workforce is the chance to have his expertise and to assist us. He has a really high-level data of Components 1. He is aware of lots of people. And I’m certain he’ll assist us in creating the workforce sooner and higher. That’s all.”

Because the saying goes, successful cures all. Alpine may not be able to contend for wins simply but, however one other robust weekend will surely be welcome.

Even when some flattery is a part of the story.

A “difficult” day for VCARB

On the different finish of the spear, it was a “trickier” day for Visa Money App RB F1 Workforce.

Friday’s first session noticed Daniel Ricciardo in P15, with Yuki Tsunoda behind the sphere in P20. Issues didn’t enhance a lot in FP2, as Tsunoda crept as much as P15 and Ricciardo slid again to P16.

Each drivers, nevertheless, are hopeful that solutions might be discovered in a single day.

“At present was trickier than common. The tempo isn’t the place we’d’ve favored it to be, so we’ll look into what we’re lacking and hopefully, it’ll be higher tomorrow.,” stated Tsunoda within the workforce’s post-practice report. “The improve is working the way in which we have been anticipating however we’re not the place we need to be and off the tempo we normally have, so we’ll evaluate all the information to seek out what we have been lacking right this moment.”

As for Ricciardo — who stated on Thursday he needs to “earn” his seat at VCARB for subsequent season — it was nonetheless enjoyable to get a crack on the reconfigured Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, even when the workforce “struggled” Friday.

“We struggled a bit of bit right this moment and missed a little bit of competitiveness, however driving is all the time enjoyable and earlier than right this moment I hadn’t performed this observe with this final sector. It was the previous one a very long time in the past, now the brand new one once more, and I’ve to say that I a lot choose it as a result of I feel that it positively brings the observe to life a bit extra,” stated Ricciardo. “The primary improve we introduced right here is the ground, and with these automobiles, it’s such a giant a part of improvement. There’s nonetheless some optimism and as soon as we dive into it tonight, we’ll discover the way it’s working and higher methods to arrange the automobile round it. We nonetheless have a bit to do however I hope we are able to enhance for tomorrow.”

As famous by each drivers, VCARB introduced a bunch of upgrades to Barcelona, together with a brand new ground for the RB01. Which will have put them on the again foot Friday, however hopefully for the workforce they will unlock extra tempo and efficiency after diving into the information in a single day.

Checking in on the title fights

Returning to the entrance of the sphere the groups and drivers combating for place on the prime of their respective standings is perhaps in several frames of thoughts heading into Saturday.

McLaren noticed each Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri inside the highest ten of each classes, with Norris topping the sheets in FP1 after which ending third in FP2. “Total, no surprises. It appears fairly tight on the entrance of the sphere, and we are able to see, like we’ve been seeing recently, that every one automobiles appear to have the ability to produce fast laps,” stated Workforce Principal Andrea Stella. “We’ll have to remain centered and ship good laps, however the potential is encouraging, and we’ll attempt to maximise our efficiency to attain as many factors as attainable this weekend.”

Ferrari, who’re hoping for a bounceback after a disastrous Canadian Grand Prix noticed each Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc end outdoors the factors, may view Friday as a little bit of a combined session. Outcomes-wise Sainz had a very robust day, ending third in FP1, and second in FP2. However each drivers described Friday’s twin follow classes as “difficult” from their perspective.

“Fairly a tough Friday, as all the time right here in Barcelona when the solar is up and the observe adjustments fairly rapidly. We struggled a bit in each classes to get the best stability on the automobile, however I feel everybody had comparable points right this moment. So general, I’m fairly proud of the automobile, however we have now work to do, particularly race pace-wise,” stated Sainz within the workforce’s post-practice report. “What I actually loved right this moment was the ambiance on the observe. Thanks to all of the followers for his or her assist. I’m wanting ahead to placing on a great present tomorrow!”

On the opposite aspect of the storage Leclerc — who completed P11 in FP1 and P6 in FP2 — echoed his teammate’s ideas. “Total, a tough day on my aspect. We struggled fairly a bit with the stability of the automobile, so set-up work can be our principal focus forward of tomorrow,” stated Leclerc. “We ran a brand new package deal in FP2, however we nonetheless have numerous work to do as I’m not absolutely snug but.”

As for Pink Bull, they too are left in search of some solutions. Verstappen was inside the highest 5 in each classes however by no means appeared assured within the RB20. At one level in FP2 Verstappen reported that the automobile was slightly “free,” radioing into the workforce that “[t]he automobile is free within the exits typically. Nonetheless simply bizarre understeer mid-corner, this automobile doesn’t chunk.”

Teammate Sergio Pérez positioned fifth within the first session, however was outdoors the highest ten within the second, posting the Thirteenth-fastest time.

Following the session Workforce Principal Christian Horner indicated that it was going to be “tight” this weekend in Barcelona. “Clearly it’s going to be tight. It’s going to be shut,” stated Horner. “I feel we acquired some superb knowledge, so loads of work to do that night.

“It’s going to be a really tight race right here in Barcelona.”

Shaping as much as be a theme of the season.