As the F1 paddock reaches Spain, the fans are filled with excitement and anticipation. At the beginning of the season, it seemed like a cakewalk for Red Bull. Everyone was sure the team would clinch yet another world title. Although the starting few races were a replica of 2023, the rivals were quick to gear up.
As a result, the last two months have witnessed intense competition. Thus, predicting the outcome of any weekend is impossible. Moreover, teams like McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes are revving up, making it a four-way fight. Further, the Barcelona GP is considered a perfect track to asses the F1 car. Apparently, it was an action-packed start to the weekend.
Free Practice Overview: Practice Sessions Filled With Close Calls And Road Rage
The Free Practice 3 was intense, especially in its last few minutes. There was plenty of road rage on the Barcelona track as race Stewards had to do overtime. First was Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, as the latter came rushing from behind, almost colliding with the Briton. However, the seven-time world champion accepted his mistake and later said ‘my bad.’ A juncture later, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc almost brushed into McLaren’s Lando Norris at turn 7. Leclerc accepted his mistake as he stopped right in front of Norris. Consequently, all four drivers were summoned by the race stewards for investigation.
Earlier, in the FP1, McLaren’s Lando Norris clocked the quickest time, followed by Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz. Later in the FP2, Lewis Hamilton was the fastest, while Carlos Sainz was a few seconds behind. However, the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, seemed unhappy with the RB20. Like every practice session, the Red Bull team had a shoddy start to the weekend. Thus, Verstappen complained about the loose RB20; it hampered the understeer in mid-corner. Further, the Dutchman was heard saying, ‘This car doesn’t bite,’ explaining the issues of the F1 project. However, the three-time world champion got the pace back after some tweaks to his car. The FP sessions have provided a glimpse into the Sunday race, as it will be yet another exhilarating weekend.
“Perfect Lap”: Lando Norris Out Perfroms Max Verstappen In Spanish GP Qualifying
After securing McMcLaren’sirst first pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix since Kimi Raikkonen in 2005, Lando Norris described his qualifying lap as nearly flawless. Reflecting on his performance, Norris explained that he could sense he was on a good lap, feeling the excitement build as everything fell into place perfectly despite the intense competition.
Norris emphasized that this pole position was among his best in Formula 1. He acknowledged he hasn’t had many poles in his career, but this one stands out as the finest among those he has achieved. Highlighting the challenge posed by Max Verstappen and Red Bull throughout the weekend, Norris noted that strategic adjustments made for the final run played a crucial role in his success. Looking ahead to the race, Norris set his sights on victory, acknowledging the tough competition from Verstappen, Hamilton, and other contenders. Despite the challenges, Norris made it clear that his goal is to win and is fully committed to achieving that.
