F1 2024 Spanish Grand Prix Preview; Can Red Bull Dominate Spanish GP or Is the Win McLaren, Ferrari or Someone Else’s for the Taking?

F1 goes racing in Spain after a chaotic wet race in Canada. The 10th round of the Formula 1 championship is the first one for the upcoming triple header. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has long been used as a testing venue for F1 because it has a range of corners and was discontinued after 2022 when the testing shenanigans shifted to Bahrain. Now, the Spanish Grand Prix tracks will finally tell us if the competitors have caught up with Red Bull.

One definitely would want answers to that after the three-way fight in Montreal. To add to that, McLaren and Ferrari had one win each in May. The bunched-up field with two Spaniards willing to prove a point at their home race will make it a nail-biting thriller, or so we hope! So, what are the aspects one can expect from F1’s return to the European leg?

What to expect from reigning champions Red Bull and Max Verstappen?

This is the most pressing question that will keep a large number of audiences glued to their screens. The thrilling non-Max Verstappen finishes of the season have pushed the fans to the edge of their couches. This season, which was supposed to be another straightforward one for Red Bull and Max Verstappen, has given us four different race winners and the last race wasn’t a cakewalk for Max Verstappen either. Though Barcelona’s characteristics are supposed to suit Red Bull and their aerodynamics, the same was true for Miami Monaco, and Montreal, but McLaren’s Lando Norris was able to steal a win.

Mercedes technical director James Allison in Montreal described the RB20 Imola upgrade as a ‘downgrade’. This remark found a befitting reply from Red Bull team principal Christian Horner after Verstappen’s win in Canada. However, the biggest issue with the RB20 is that it struggles over bumps and kerbs, something which was even an issue when Verstappen led the last Grand Prix. This race can be a good indicator of the team’s standing and if Red Bull wants to assert its dominance, this is where they have got to do it. It will be an uphill task for Christian Horner and company, considering others have now tasted blood.

What to expect from McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, and the rest of the Spanish Grand Prix field?

2023 was a very boring season in terms of race results. Many viewers often avoided tuning in to watch the race because the outcome was so obvious. Red Bull won all races of the season, barring the Singapore GP. Carlos Sainz became the only non-Red Bull winner of the 2023 campaign. He also became the first driver to jinx Red Bull’s dominance in 2024. Subsequently, Lando and Charles Leclerc also won races. So, what can we expect from others ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix?

Let us talk about McLaren first. The Miami circuit was supposed to suit Verstappen and Milton Keynes on paper, but Norris defied the odds to take his first career win. He came close to winning Canada when an unfortunate safety car denied him the top step of the podium. His teammate Oscar Piastri (who is Zak Brown’s heist of the decade) is also always in the mix and has registered his first podium in Monaco despite car problems.

Coming to Ferrari, both their drivers have had race wins this season and are close competitors for the top step barring a forgettable performance in Canada. With the upcoming race being Carlos Sainz’s home race and probably his last one in a top team (at least for the near future) the Spanish driver is expected to fight tooth and nail to follow in Fernando Alonso’s footsteps to become a Spaniard-winning in home soil.

Mercedes’ pole position earning performance from Canada is indicative of their return to the top fight. Justifying their rigorous work behind the scenes at Brackely, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said after the Canadian Grand Prix, “The truth is over the last three races we have brought so many new parts, visible and invisible to the eye that have contributed milliseconds to more performance. I think this is where those marginal gains can have that positive effect and that was just a huge effort from the factory, and I think that we have started to get some real motion now.” This goes on to show that all three teams can give RB a run for their money if they play their cards right.

Interestingly, Visa Cash App RB Team and Aston Martin also displayed ‘worthy’ best of the rest performances. Daniel Ricciardo finished in points and so did Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso. Their performance in Montreal was better than that of Ferraris and Sergio Perez. The Williams and Kick Sauber Team are yet to shine bright but Alpine and Haas showed intense promise in Montreal. The battles to outperform themselves and each other will be why you should tune in for the Spanish Grand Prix.