Spanish Grand Prix F1 qualifying storylines: Mercedes’ day?

Via 9 races, the 2024 Components 1 season has provided many twists and turns.

The latest 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 group’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 group’s finest results of your entire 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 high 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 high the sector.

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

“FP1 wasn’t one of the best session for us however we nonetheless discovered quite a bit. FP2 was loads higher although and the automobile was feeling nice,” stated Hamilton within the group’s post-practice report. “The observe was highly regarded, 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 superb day on observe right now. The automobile was performing very well round this circuit. It was encouraging to see Lewis high of the timesheets and we have been constantly on the entrance,” started Russell.

”Our future tempo in FP1 was aggressive. In FP2, it appeared that our single lap tempo was barely stronger than our future pace however total, the automobile is feeling sturdy. It is just Friday, nevertheless it has been some time since we’ve been constantly on the higher finish of the sector,” 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 arrange as finest as we will for Qualifying and Sunday’s Grand Prix.”

The sturdy Friday comes at an fascinating time for the Brackley-based group. Experiences surfaced this week of an nameless e mail despatched to F1 journalists concerning the therapy of Hamilton by the group. 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 group of sabotaging their departing seven instances world champion Lewis Hamilton.”

Staff 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 boring second in F1.

… Alpine?

Picture by Clive Rose/Getty Photographs

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

FP2 was even higher for the group.

When the checkered flag flew on the finish of Friday’s second apply 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 group appeared stunned at their sturdy efficiency.

“To finish the day with each vehicles within the top-10 is somewhat bit sudden from the place we thought we’d be coming into the weekend on this specific observe. Clearly, we have no idea what the others are doing however total, it’s a optimistic begin to the weekend,” stated Ocon within the group’s post-practice report. “It was not one of the best lap on the C3 [tire] for me in Free Follow 2 with some site visitors and there have been a couple of interruptions in each the lengthy and quick runs. There are undoubtedly enhancements we will make with the intention to discover lap time, so we are going to hold digging and attempt to make steps ahead for tomorrow’s Qualifying, which is vital round this observe.”

Gasly surmised that the end result most likely “flatters” the group.

“It’s been a optimistic Friday for us, particularly Free Follow 2. The top end result, ending in fourth place, most likely flatters us and it was actually a shock, however a pleasing shock, and one which brings a smile to my face! In Free Follow 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 fully snug within the automobile. There are some issues we have to high-quality tune with the purpose of feeling even higher within the automobile tomorrow when it counts.”

If there’s a group in want of some flattery, it’s actually Alpine. Even their end in Montreal — their first double-points end of the season — was not with out some controversy, as Ocon appeared pissed off after the race at some group orders that have been handed down within the closing levels 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 throughout the Eighties, earlier than his F1 profession, and a long time later was compelled to resign from the ING Renault F1 group as a consequence 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 Staff Principal Bruno Famin was repeatedly questioned concerning the transfer.

“I already answered questions concerning the previous and I don’t actually thoughts concerning the previous. I’m at all times wanting about future and making an attempt what we will get and to get our group 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 group 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 positive he’ll assist us in creating the group 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 sturdy weekend would definitely be welcome.

Even when some flattery is a part of the story.

A “tough” day for VCARB

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

Friday’s first session noticed Daniel Ricciardo in P15, with Yuki Tsunoda in the back of the sector 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 will be discovered in a single day.

“Right now was trickier than standard. The tempo isn’t the place we’d’ve appreciated it to be, so we’ll look into what we’re lacking and hopefully, it’ll be higher tomorrow.,” stated Tsunoda within the group’s post-practice report. “The improve is working the best way we have been anticipating however we’re not the place we need to be and off the tempo we normally have, so we’ll assessment all the information to seek out what we have been lacking right now.”

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 group “struggled” Friday.

“We struggled somewhat bit right now and missed a little bit of competitiveness, however driving is at all times enjoyable and earlier than right now I hadn’t carried out 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 favor it as a result of I feel that it undoubtedly brings the observe to life a bit extra,” stated Ricciardo. “The principle improve we introduced right here is the ground, and with these vehicles, it’s such an enormous 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 will enhance for tomorrow.”

As famous by each drivers, VCARB introduced a number of upgrades to Barcelona, together with a brand new ground for the RB01. That will have put them on the again foot Friday, however hopefully for the group 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 sector the groups and drivers preventing for place on the high of their respective standings may be in numerous 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 seems fairly tight on the entrance of the sector, and we will see, like we’ve been seeing currently, that each one vehicles appear to have the ability to produce fast laps,” stated Staff 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 exterior the factors, may view Friday as a little bit of a combined session. Outcomes-wise Sainz had a very sturdy day, ending third in FP1, and second in FP2. However each drivers described Friday’s twin apply classes as “tough” from their standpoint.

“Fairly a difficult Friday, as at all times 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 proper steadiness on the automobile, however I feel everybody had comparable points right now. So total, I’m moderately pleased with the automobile, however now we have work to do, particularly race pace-wise,” stated Sainz within the group’s post-practice report. “What I actually loved right now was the environment on the observe. Thanks to all of the followers for his or her assist. I’m wanting ahead to placing on a superb present tomorrow!”

On the opposite facet of the storage Leclerc — who completed P11 in FP1 and P6 in FP2 — echoed his teammate’s ideas. “Total, a difficult day on my facet. We struggled fairly a bit with the steadiness of the automobile, so set-up work might be our most important focus forward of tomorrow,” stated Leclerc. “We ran a brand new bundle in FP2, however we nonetheless have plenty of 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 group 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 exterior the highest ten within the second, posting the Thirteenth-fastest time.

Following the session Staff 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 bought some excellent information, 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.