18/05/2022
NEWS STORY
Lance Stroll: "I think Barcelona's going to be a great circuit to showcase how these ground-effect cars work in the high-speed sections - especially at the long Turn Three bend - so I think the fans can expect some exciting onboards. This weekend also provides a chance to compare everyone's progress after testing here earlier this year. These cars are like prototypes and are improving all the time."
Sebastian Vettel: "Barcelona will showcase a lot of the behaviour inherent in these 2022 cars; the lower-speed corners will be a physical challenge, while the faster sections will be about bravery and trusting in the ground-effect. Passing has usually been tricky here but I think these cars have shown they're much better at going wheel-to-wheel, so I think it will be a different race to previous Spanish Grands Prix."
Strategy
The C1, C2 and C3 allocation return for the first time since Bahrain, which was also a higher degradation circuit, so expect a two-stop race to be the quickest way around Barcelona. Pit-stop timing is key because it's a higher-than-average time-loss at 23s per stop.
Overtaking
Good strategy is essential because overtaking is usually tricky. DRS makes up 75% of all passes here, and three-quarters of overtakes are made at Turn One, with the benefit of DRS creating further minor opportunities at Turns Two, Three and Four. Expect an exciting start, with an average of 10 moves made across the field on the first lap in the past.
Safety Cars
While there's been one in every race so far this season, 2020 was the only Spanish Grand Prix of the last six not to feature an interruption. Depending on its timing, any potential Safety Car could influence strategy and convince teams to attempt a one-stopper.