2023 F1 Spanish GP: Preview and Predictions
The 2023 F1 Spanish GP could not come at a more opportune time. This season, Barcelona will be hosting an F1 race after a long time when the home favorite Fernando Alonso could actually have an opportunity to put together a strong result. The weekend is going to be all about the F1 veteran who has enthralled the Spanish fans ever since he first burst onto the scene in the early 2000s.
The last time he won the F1 Spanish GP was exactly a decade ago in 2013 and this weekend he could possibly have an opportunity to enthrall the fans once again. One (if not two) of the biggest obstacles for him and a possible win on home soil are going to be the drivers in the Red Bull.
In six races this season we've had six wins for the Austrian team and heading to Barcelona, it will take a brave man (or a Spaniard) to bet against them. Having said that, what could the fans expect from Fernando Alonso's home race? Let's take a look.
2023 F1 Spanish GP: Preview
Key Storylines
#1 The upgrades and the true picture
With Imola canceled and Monaco not an ideal track to bring upgrades, it was always going to come down to Barcelona. This weekend, almost all teams will be bringing their sets of major upgrades in a bid to major improvements to their cars. Teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Aston Martin will certainly have a spotlight on them as they try to eat into the gap that Red Bull enjoys over the rest of the field.
These upgrades will be the first real attempt to put together a challenge against Red Bull and for the sake of the fans, these upgrades should work.
#2 The return to the old (and better?) layout
Overtaking has been a major concern this season with cars struggling to follow a lot more than expected. Barcelona has never been one of the tracks that was considered an overtaking heaven but there are still places where you can pull off overtakes. The track is wide enough for these humongous cars to run wheel to wheel.
To add to this, the removal of the chicane in the last sector and the reversal to the old layout is one of the best things done to improve the layout. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact it has on the cars as well as the overall.
#3 The title battle, or the lack of it
Heading into the 2023 F1 Spanish GP, Max Verstappen leads Sergio Perez by 39 points. Not only that, the reigning champion does not appear to have any other conclusive challenge from any other team. It is common paddock perception that Verstappen is a level above his teammate and slowly but steadily this has become more and more clear this season as well.
If Verstappen ends up winning the 2023 F1 Spanish GP, even if Perez finishes P2, the championship deficit could be almost 50 points. Seven races into the season, this might not be the best product that F1 would want to market to the new geographies.
Form Guide
On Form
Alpine has shown a surprising upturn in performance in the last couple of races after the team's CEO publicly called out the French outfit. The podium in Monaco was a great race from Estaban Ocon and to be fair the signs have been there in other races as well.
Alpine is still not in the mix amongst the top 4 but consistent giant-killing performances are just what the team needs to keep the progression going.
Out of form
Sergio Perez had a weekend from hell in Monaco and for any world championship contender that's just not what you would want. Coming into the 2023 F1 Spanish GP, Perez's season is at a crossroads. Either he beats Verstappen in Barcelona or more or less settles in the all-too-familiar supporting role within the team.
2023 F1 Spanish GP: Predictions
Who wins the race?
That Red Bull's performance and Max Verstappen's tenacity are an undeniable combination in F1 and it's hard to pick anyone else. Verstappen has shown an ability to win a race from P9 even when his teammate in the same car starts the race from pole.
While we hope that the competition catches up, unless there is tangible evidence of that happening, it would be foolish to pick anyone but Max Verstappen to win the 2023 F1 Spanish GP.
Surprise of the weekend (Team)
Many have written off Esteban Ocon's performance as a one-off as it is something that not many feel is possible to replicate on the track where overtaking is much easier. Esteban Ocon controlled the pace of the field behind him and even when he was in the pack after his first stop, his pace was quite competitive.
While it would be ambitious to expect an Alpine podium, another strong result from the team where a couple of Aston Martins/Ferraris/Mercedes are trumped can not be counted out.
Surprise of the weekend (Driver)
It would be impossible to not pick Fernando Alonso to do something special in the 2023 F1 Spanish GP. Well, winning the race might be a step too far but replicating the P2 finish from Monaco? Well, we're backing him to get that done.
We're predicting a Fernando Alonso podium in Barcelona but this time around it would involve a giant-killing effort where he bests Sergio Perez and finishes in P2.
Disappointment of the weekend (Team)
The McLaren came alive around the streets of Monaco but the car is certainly going to have a few shortcomings exposed on a track like the one in Barcelona. While a double points finish was a very impressive result for the team in Monaco, the 2023 F1 Spanish GP might not turn out to be a good one.
Disappointment of the weekend (Driver)
Lance Stroll has had two bad performances in the last two races and he heads to the 2023 F1 Spanish GP with only 27 points to his name. His teammate Fernando Alonso has almost four times the points and all of the podiums scored by the team.
There have been a few that are starting to term Aston Martin a one-driver team and unfortunately for Lance, being Fernando Alonso's teammate at the 2023 F1 Spanish GP is arguably the worst place he would want to be in to make a positive impression. Expect another below-par weekend from the Canadian in Barcelona as the discontent against him continues to grow.
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Yash Singh