F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 10 21-23 June 2024 Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
THE MAIN EVENT
Once Formula 1’s testing venue of choice, Barcelona has slid out of fashion in recent years. Its very ubiquity in winter and (occasional) mid-season testing – owing to the varied nature of all the corners, which give the cars a broad-spectrum workout – made for processional races. Now the budget cap has pushed testing over to the Middle Eastern leg – and the final insult has come in the form of F1 tying up a 10-year deal with Madrid to host the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 onwards.
That may not be it for the Catalans, though, since the promoter still holds out hope for F1 to continue here under another title, as when Jerez hosted a European GP in 1997 (in that case, though, it was a one-off to plug a hole in the calendar caused by the venue for the planned Portuguese GP going bust).
2023 RACE RECAP
Max Verstappen broke a lap record which had stood for 18 years when he set pole position – aided by the removal of the loathed chicane before the final corner. That tweak to the layout also made for one of the most strategically divided Spanish GPs in years since it put so much stress on the left-front tyre.
Not that this stopped Max leading from start to finish but it made for some entertaining battles through the rest of the field as team-mate Sergio Pérez fought through from 11th on the grid. Try as he might, though, Checo couldn’t prevent the Mercedes duo of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell taking the final podium spots.
KEY CORNER:
