Grand Prix 2023 Spanish Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

May 2006, 17 years ago, Lewis Hamilton was a young lad ripping up the grid for ART in GP2, Gnarls Barkley were half way through a 9 week run at Number 1 in the UK Charts with their single "Crazy" and David Tennant was battling the Cybermen as the 10th Doctor Who in the 2 part episode "Rise of the Cybermen".

What on earth has this got to do with F1 you ask?

Well, I shall tell you.

It was also the last Spanish GP held at the Circuit De Catalunya, Barcelona in which the long, 6th gear, double right hander of turns 13 and 14 were used. From 2007, a chicane was added before the final turn with the intention of causing cars to run more closely through the final turn and increase the chances of an overtake and making it safer. Predictably it had no effect what so ever and if anything, took away what was the only relatively interesting part of the track.

Fortunately, for 2023, the layout of the final turns will revert to the 2006 layout and we will once again be able to watch cars hammer it around the last corners and hopefully be on the ragged edge. Will this new layout make a massive difference to the eventual winner? Of course not. The Red Bull in it's current configeration will absolutely blitz this section of the track and be off and in the distance before Logan Sargeant has even had a chance to put his racing gloves on.

Born in April 2001, Oscar Piastri is currently the youngest driver on the grid having just turned 22. That would have made him 5 years old in 2006 when Fernando Alonso crossed the line to win the Spanish GP on the way to his second F1 world title. Will he win again on home soil for the first time since 2013? That 2013 Spanish GP also marks the last time he won a race anywhere. Despite 10 years of F1 races without a win, amazingly, Alonso has scored 93 points so far this season meaning he has already scored more points than he scored in the whole of each of the previous 6 seasons. While I doubt he'll be on the top step again a podium spot for the local fans to cheer is more than likely.

This will be the first real chance for Mercedes to prove that their new design of side pod will actually help their season and try and close the gap to Aston Martin. While Ferrari and Alpine will also be looking to kick on.

For those who can be bothered to watch to find out who will finish behind the Red Bulls, the UK session times are as follows:

SessionDateTime
First Practice2 June12:30
Second Practice2 June16:00
Third Practice3 June11:30
Qualification3 June15:00
Race4 June14:00
 
if perez championship hopes werent already dead in monaco. they are almost certainly dead now in spain. might as call verstappen a triple world champion in waiting
 
I reckon it must be next to impossible for an F1 driver to make love to a women.

Every time she gets wet someone throws a red flag out and stops the session.
F2 certainly embarrassing the F1 drivers in the opening 6 laps of sprint race earlier, full wet conditions loads of spray, at times poor visibility. but nobody complained & drivers just got on with it, & drove to conditions.
 
Last edited:
i think the worlds finally gone mad. because excluding max. because he is just currently the best driver in a purple patch in the best car like Schumacher 02/04 Vettel 13 & Hamilton 16/20

because its looking like there is a very interesting Spanish race in prospect. a massively improved circuit, some ominious clouds, 40% chance of rain. but even if it stays dry. nobody is sure if a tyre saving 2 stop or attacking 3 stop is quicker
 
Didn't watch it but judging by the lack of posts on here after the race, I'm guessing everyone has been stunned into silence at what was the greatest race of the last two decades?

Am I right? Am I? Am I?
 
Didn't watch it but judging by the lack of posts on here after the race, I'm guessing everyone has been stunned into silence at what was the greatest race of the last two decades?

Am I right? Am I? Am I?

Everyone is in shock, that getting rid of the chicane before the final corner, actually helped with overtaking.
 
Everyone is in shock, that getting rid of the chicane before the final corner, actually helped with overtaking.
No, I simply refuse to believe it.

That would suggest that Herman Tilke was wrong and that couldn't possibly be the case.

Obviously, without the chicane several cars exploded in a cascade of fire and carbon fibre due to the huge danger posed by those final corners......

Checks race classification....

Number of retirements = Zero

Nope, that couldn't have been the reason either.
 
There are plenty of ways of watching without resorting to Sky, VPN is your mate as well as other systems that are free but I'm not allowed to mention
 
Didn't watch it but judging by the lack of posts on here after the race, I'm guessing everyone has been stunned into silence at what was the greatest race of the last two decades?

Am I right? Am I? Am I?
through circumstance, nothing bad, just 1 of those things couldnt watch it til this morning.

Everyone is in shock, that getting rid of the chicane before the final corner, actually helped with overtaking.
im in shock, the usual worst race on the calendar & a place was responsible for 1 worst races ive ever had the misfortune to watch. 2020 Spanish GP made me think maybe lockdown wasnt that bad after all, actually produced arguably the best race of the season so far :o if only the people in charge then had listened 10 years ago as its almost as if every driver & fan said get rid of the chicane & leave the circuit as it was designed knew what they were talking about. more happened yesterday than happened between 07 - 22

but in fairness to hermann tilke which he doesnt deserve, nico rosberg said during the weekend. that chicane was brought in 2007 for safety reasons, your guess is as good as mine why they thought that final corner was dangerous :dunno:
 
Last edited:
on the race,
Lando :facepalm:a great qualifying ruined in 20 seconds what were you doing at turn 2, because its likely slow reactions, because i hope it wasnt a over ambitious move that was never on, but as he said in the interview this will be learning expierence & he will be better for this. as if he taken more care he wouldve got some points today

ferrari have got to find out why there qualifying pace is very good but a distant 3rd in the race pace & Leclerc must have had damage or a dodgy car this weekend. because this is not a alonso / stroll scenario, there is not 1 second between them

Mercedes are the opposite of Ferrari if they sort out, their qualifying pace. they should canter to that 2nd place in constuctors. because thats the only thing holding them back curently as the upgrades seem to be positive. but a brilliant drive from both, a partically strong weekend from russell

do you we think this is a blip for aston martin or with this upgrades have them been jumped or closed in on. because its strange to see Aston martin on 5 of the 1st 6 podiums. univerisally thought of as the 2nd best car & come to spain, they are fighting alpine to be 4th best car

on red bull as i said before the race, we all want a title battle, but like schumacher 02, vettel 13 & lewis 16. you have acknowledge sporting excellence, when you see it & currently we have best driver in a purple patch in the best car. Adrian Newey & Max are on top form
 
Did anyone else see Martin Brundle talking to Flavio Briatore on his grid walk in Spain? How Brundle kept a civil tongue in his head when speaking with this odious turd is beyond me, particularly given how he was treated at Benetton.
 
I was surprised, it seemed Martin had sort him out rather than an accidental meeting and greeted him like an old friend, is Alonso still on his books and managing him?
 
Back
Top Bottom