Scene set for five winners out of five races in Barcelona this weekend
10 May, 2012
Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber are potential winners of this weekend's Spanish GP
May 10 (Reuters) Formula One’s European season fires up in Spain this weekend with Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber leading a fistful of drivers jostling to become the fifth different winner in five races.
Three more Spanish GP race win candidates
What was the most predictable of races, with Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya used in pre-season testing and holding no surprises for even the rookies on the starting grid, now looks far from clear-cut.
Four drivers have taken it in turn to win and lead the championship since the opener in Australia in March, with Webber’s double world champion team mate Sebastian Vettel the current man on top.
McLaren’s Jenson Button, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso – now looking forward to the buzz of a home race with what could be a much quicker car after recent developments – and Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg have also won.
There have been eight different drivers from six teams on the podium so far.
Not since 1983, when Rosberg’s father Keke was racing and a year before Niki Lauda clinched his third title, has a campaign started with five different winners but history could well repeat itself on Sunday.
McLaren’s Hamilton, the 2008 champion who was on pole in the first two races of 2012, must surely stand on top of the podium again before long and the return to Europe could be the time.
Jenson Button won the season opening Australian GP
“We had a great race there last year, I pushed Sebastian all the way to the finish. I think we have a comparatively stronger car this year, so I hope we can have another strong race,” said the Briton, second in Spain last year.
“I think it’s going to be one of the toughest tracks of the year for overtaking, but I’ll be hoping for a strong performance in qualifying in order to make it as straightforward as possible in the race.”
Red Bull’s Webber has started on pole for the past two years in Spain, and won in 2010 at a circuit where the top slot has translated into victory in 10 of the last 11 races, and knows he has the car to do it again.
“I like the Barcelona track, we do a lot of work there and it’s a track that’s been good to me in the past…so I’m looking for a strong weekend,” said the Australian.
Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion with Ferrari now on a comeback with Lotus, was second last month at a troubled Bahrain race with French team mate Romain Grosjean third. Both have to be considered.
Fernando Alonso winner of the Malaysian GP
So too does seven-times champion Michael Schumacher, even if he has not been on the podium since he made his return in 2010 and has been critical of the Pirelli tyres, given that Mercedes team mate Rosberg won in China.
Schumacher has won more often than any other driver in Barcelona, six times in all.
Barcelona has long been held up as a benchmark, an acid test where the championship moves up a gear, but in such a close field with the cars divided by mere fractions of a second even that may no longer be the case.
“Usually Barcelona is a pretty good indicator of car performance: if a car works well there it tends to work well in most places,” Red Bull boss Christian Horner told autosport.com after testing in Italy last week.
“Whether that still applies this year, who knows? I’m sure most teams are bringing upgrades of varying degree.
Nico Rosberg winner of the Chinese GP
“It is the first European race so traditionally that’s where teams will introduce new components to their cars and we’re no different to that. It will be fascinating to see the evolution amongst the teams.”
McLaren are hoping to have a higher nose on their car after trying out the change at the Mugello test while Lotus were fastest in Mugello with Grosjean.
“We’ve been able to look after our tyres quite well during the races so far but the Barcelona track is very abrasive, especially for the front left tyre,” said Lotus team principal Eric Boullier.
“Maybe we’ll do a better job than our rivals in this area. The only question mark is our performance relative to the temperature.”
Related posts:
- Bahrain Grand Prix: The winners and the losers
- Hamilton claims morale boost ahead of Malaysian GP weekend
- Scene set as Vettel targets hat-trick of F1 titles
- Spanish GP: The winners and the losers
- Chinese GP Preview: Unanswered questions
bushby says “I noticed visz never actually said Alonso was a bad driver
visz963 says previously: “Alonso’s only hope is rain. That car is fundamentally wrong (partly because of him.)”
@ bushby…clearly your the “joke” who we need to laugh at now for being illiterate. Clearly vitz is bashing Alonso with his comment I pasted for you since you cannot read. Apprently you do not read enough of his useless comments. So there for you should stop trolling for him.
thanks.
@me262
New to comment? Yes. New to visiting here and watching the usual shit flinging contest you guys host in the comments? Not even close
@Bushby_23
your obviously new here
I love it how you guys are asking for others to respect your opinions, but will openly try to shout them down for not following yours. Sound logic you guys have.
How is it wrong to attribute a shit car to the driver? They have quite a say in the development, so they should have some blame attributed to themselves. Granted, when your given a dog of a car, it’s a lot harder to refine and fine tune into a winner than it is to refine something that is great straight out of the box. But it’s wrong to say that the driver can’t be blamed for the development of their car.
I noticed visz never actually said Alonso was a bad driver; merely that the car’s problems are in part due to the development path taken by the team which includes the drivers. You guys say he looks stupid, but I reckon not even reading his comment and then flaming him is rather stupid, don’t you think?
Personally, I’d love for Webber to take the win, and continue the 5 different drivers/5 different races. If Webber can’t do it, then Kimi and Schumi, in that order of preference.
vitz u act like ur an engineer! stfu! u know nothing accept wikipedia facts.
if u hate Ferrari and Alonso why bother to comment? we already know u say stupid shit for people to reply to you. but your lack of knowledge and stupid comments towards someone because your upset that you love Alonso and cant touch him. Isnt his fault. You say the most psycho shit its annoying.
vitz knows half the F-1 world is an Alonso fan. this is the same guy who would diss V. Rossi because Ducati is struggling as well. But its Rossi’s and Alonso Fault right? smh…. Which by now Alonso could easily have been a 4 time champion which vitz knows but cant admit too.
2 time WDC…05 and 06…2008 lost by 1 point tied with teamate.
(almost 3 championships 2 teams in span 4 years) that pretty damn good id say.
2010 he lost by 1 point to a to a driver who didnt lead till the he crossed the finish line. Which was Vettel, also was Alonso first drive with Ferrari so not much input from driver to engineer input but still came very close to a Championship.
2011 was all Vettel. Everyone and every team knows that.
2012? he has already won 1 race. regardless rain or dry Alonso has proved numerous times he can go up the grid with sluggish car.
There some drivers I dislike however I dont go out my way to say anything negative to troll and disrespect other fans favorite drivers.
Lets hope vitz can be a respectable as much as he talks about respect in the Alonso column/article.
visz963 you are out of your mind to attribute that the car is fundamentally wrong partly because of Alonso. Since the start of the season every report has condemned the car and Ferrari bosses have accepted it. Here you go and criticize Alonso just because you dislike him. Have you not listened to the commentary during the races (Starsports) where Steve Slater is always commenting that Alonso is wrestling with car not because of his driving but trying to keep it on track. I am no fan of Alonso but he is the complete driver and that is why he won 2 championships with Renault beating Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.
Say something intelligent please that is if you have any intelligence.
I would like to go dark horse on this race. If Romain Grosjean can put an entire race together he can win. All of his races this season he has made notable mistakes leading to a lesser result.
I wish Seb Win this and extend the lead
Alonso’s only hope is rain. That car is fundamentally wrong (partly because of him.)
It would be awesome for Raikkonen to win, but I hope the Ferrari is good enough for Alonso to win. It’s been too long.