This weekend's Spanish Grand Prix is shaping up rather nicely. Mark Webber topped the time sheets in both Friday practice sessions as he looks to repeat his dominate victory from last year. Crucially Mclaren's Lewis Hamilton was able to split the Red Bulls as he finished the session just 0.039 seconds behind the Australian in FP2. Webber's team-mate Sebastian Vettel was third, yet as ever you get the feeling the World Champion may have something in hand. Nevertheless, Hamilton may feel he has a sniff of a chance this weekend. However, let us not forget the Turkish Grand Prix two weeks ago, whereby Vettel crashed in the wet conditions and in spite of his car woes, managed to take his fourth pole of the season.
Vettel has been imperious in qualifying this season. However, the innovative new rules for 2011 have minimalized the impact of qualifying lower down the order. Moreover, tyre management is now the overriding factor rather than grid position. However, starting from pole allows the lead driver to control the race and this is something Vettel has done successfully for most of the campaign (and his career). What we really need this weekend is somebody to snatch top spot away from the 23 year old and it seems his team mate is the most likely candidate.
The Spanish GP in 2010 kickstarted Webber's championship surge as he took one of his most dominant victories of his career. He is desperate for a similar result this weekend. Although this is his best ever start to a season with 55 points, the 38 point deficit to his team-mate is a substantial amount. The only blot on Vettel's copybook was the Chinese Grand Prix, where through a mixture of the wrong strategy, and a rampant Hamilton, he had to settle for second. Vettel is a keen statistician and likes to rack up pole positions, fastest laps and race wins, but you just get the feeling that even as early as race five it wouldn't hurt Sebastian to play the percentage game. Hamilton is his nearest challenger and if Vettel continues to finish in front of the 2008 world champion, back-to-back titles could become a reality.
Despite Fernando Alonso's superb drive to third last time out in Istanbul, Hamilton has looked the only driver capable of taking the fight to the Red Bulls. His relentless attempt to overhaul the 'fizzy drinks company' may punish him occasionally (think Malaysia this year) but it does make fascinating viewing. Hamilton managed to split the Red Bulls last year after jumping Vettel in the pit stops but crashed out on the penultimate lap after his left front tyre delaminated. He will be looking to not only get to the end of the Grand Prix this year, but take his second victory of the season. He will have been encouraged by the results from FP2, particularly as Mclaren have brought numerous upgrades to Catalunya this weekend.
Jenson Button will also be hoping the new parts have closed the gap to the Red Bulls, although he was almost a second down on Webber. However expect Button, as always, to improve in the race; the Barcelona circuit is one of the most punishing on tyres on the calendar and those who make fewer stops, such as the 2009 world champion, may be at an advantage. On the other hand, we saw in Turkey that having track position comes at a price without fresher rubber, which left Button somewhat uncompetitive towards the end of the race.
It is not just the Mclarens who are aiming to challenge Red Bull in Spain. In front of his adoring home fans, Alonso will relish the chance to launch himself back into contention. His pace in Turkey was a huge surprise and refreshing one. Ferrari had been nowhere for the first three races yet there Alonso was running comfortably behind Vettel. He was overtaken, superbly, by Webber in the closing stages but that does not detract from the fact that the Ferrari is at last quick. Well, in Alonso's hands at least. His team-mate Felipe Massa was 0.7secs adrift in FP2 and was lucky to avoid hitting the barriers after running wide into the gravel at Turn Five. Despite Massa's troubles, one would expect Alonso to make the top five at least. Whether he can get in amongst the Red Bulls and Mclarens is another matter, though.
The Circuit de Catalunya will provide the biggest test for the new rules in 2011. FIA have already confirmed drivers will be able to use the much-maligned Drag Reduction System down the pit straight in Barcelona. In my view, this will diminish the challenge of overtaking in Spain, which has seen a number of precessions in recent years. From a personal opinion, the DRS should be used coming out of the fast right hander at Campsa towards the La Caiza hairpin. One would imagine the drivers would be able to get a run on the leading car coming out of the corner and down the straight, before making a dive down the inside into the hairpin.
Of course, the overtake would be aided by the extra speed, yet the manoeuvre would still have to be applied to perfection. Desperate attempts would be punished with possibly a collision, while the successful would be applauded. Surely that is what the fans want? All in all, DRS is not a substitute for real racing and expect the majority of the overtakes to occur down the pit straight, rather than into a corner. Where is the excitement in that? Many were underwhelmed by the ease in which cars could pass one another in Turkey, but we must remember DRS is a work in progress and let's be honest, surely overtaking is better than no overtaking?
The Spanish Grand Prix commonly sees the introduction of a number of updates from the teams as they look to find a considerable amount of pace. However, countless improvements will not matter if the ultra-quick Vettel gets another clear run at the front of the field. Its time for someone to step and challenge him. Who's ready?
Josh.
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