F1 qualifying: 4 key questions before qualifying at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix

Two hours of practice are in the books at the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.

However, can the ten teams put the data gained over those two hours to good use, and unlock more performance in today’s critical qualifying session?

That is the main question heading into qualifying, but here are four others that will tell the ultimate tale of qualifying at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Can anyone catch McLaren?

After weeks of speculation regarding the impact of the new Technical Directive regarding front wings that went into effect this week, and how those strict tests could impact the grid, McLaren looked as strong as ever in Friday’s two practice sessions.

Lando Norris topped the timing sheets in FP1, and it was Oscar Piastri leading the way in FP2. Not only was Piastri the fastest overall, but the McLaren driver posted the fastest time in each of the three sectors during his pace-setting lap.

However, a few of McLaren’s rivals could spoil the papaya party on Saturday.

Mercedes focused on long runs during FP1, as both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell completed programs focused on the C2 medium tire, and the C1 hard compound. When FP2 rolled around, however, both drivers bolted on the C3 soft tires, and Russell finished in P2, with Antonelli in P6. “Our qualifying runs looked decent in the second practice session, and it was nice to be closer to where we hope to be performance wise,” said Russell after the session.

Then there is Max Verstappen. Qualifying simulations from the official F1 channel actually have the Red Bull driver level with McLaren:

Verstappen sounded rather upbeat on Friday after the session, which has not always been the case this year.

“It’s always nice to be here – the track is always very enjoyable to drive,” Verstappen noted Friday. “It’s quite hot out there as well, especially for the tires. But I think it was an okay Friday – we’ve had worse Fridays!

“I felt a bit happier with the car, we’re still not where we want to be but it was definitely a bit more positive.”

This scenario has played itself out before this season — McLaren looking strongest during the week, and Verstappen taking pole on Saturday — and it would not be a shock if that happened again in Barcelona.

Are we in for another VCARB surprise?

Last week ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix we predicted that Visa Cash App Racing Bulls might have something up their sleeves for qualifying. That is exactly what happened, as both Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson stormed into Q3, setting the stage for a double-points result for the team in the Grand Prix itself.

Are we about to see both young drivers in Q3 again for the second straight week?

Hadjar finished eighth in FP1 and ninth in FP2, while Lawson finished the first session in P6 and the second session in P10. In addition, the F1 qualifying simulation data as noted above has VCARB as the sixth-fastest team, just behind Aston Martin.

Those practice results, as well as the simulation data, put Hadjar and Lawson both in striking distance of Q3.

“Heading into the weekend, I still feel confident in the car. We had some work to do today, and whilst we’re not entirely happy with the balance yet, it’s always tricky around this circuit with high track temperatures,” said Hadjar in the team’s post-practice report. “We’re optimistic that we can make the necessary changes and be competitive tomorrow. It’s going to be tight with the other midfield teams, but everything’s still to play for in Qualifying.”

Can Williams salvage something?

Heading into the weekend the word from Williams was that the circuit in Barcelona would not suit the FW47.

Friday’s results did little to raise expectations. Carlos Sainz Jr. finished 15th in FP1 and 14th in FP2, and after sitting out FP1 in favor of young driver Victor Martins (who finished P19 in the first session) Alex Albon climbed back into the car to finish 15th in FP2.

“It was tough out there today, but we expected it. The type of corners here are not the best for our car and right from the start of FP1, I felt how tricky it was,” said Sainz after the session in the team’s post-practice media report. “We tried to do some setup changes, and they seemed to go in the right direction, but we still can’t find enough lap time to be further up. We’ll try to take another step for tomorrow, as there is lots to understand and work on but we’ll keep pushing all weekend!”

Williams put both Sainz and Albon in the points in each of the last four Grands Prix, but they might need something special to keep that streak alive as qualifying looms.

Can Ferrari find a little more pace for Saturday?

F1’s race simulation data puts Ferrari as the third team in the pecking order for the Spanish Grand Prix, behind McLaren and Red Bull:

But as we have seen recently from the Scuderia, Saturday remains a question mark. The qualifying simulation data puts Ferrari behind Mercedes, and by no means makes Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton a lock.

Team Principal Frederic Vasseur downplayed some of the harsher radio messages of the day which came from Hamilton, who at one point called the SF-25 “undriveable.”

”The comments were a bit extreme on the radio today but [Hamilton] did also a strong last stint with the soft [tire], in the lap time of the first two,” said Vasseur to Sky Sports F1.

“It means that perhaps the car was not as horrible as he said on the radio.

“But again, for me, the comments that they are making in the car are not a drama, as long as they are back and we have a constructive debriefing.”

Speaking after the session Hamilton outlined that he was hoping for better on Friday.

“Honestly, I thought the car was going to be good today,” Hamilton said after FP2. “It wasn’t too bad in P1, but P2 was much worse. Naturally, that’s frustrating for everyone, but we had some problems, which meant we were losing some downforce. Hopefully, with that fixed for tomorrow, we’ll be in a better place.”

His teammate sounded a bit more optimistic.

“It was a bit more positive than what we expected coming here, so that is good,” said Leclerc.

“There is more performance in the car, which I hope we will unlock tomorrow, come Qualifying.”