The ultimate race of a System 1 triple-header beckons, because the grid heads to Barcelona’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Spanish Grand Prix.
And there are not any scarcity of storylines.
From Lando Norris’ win within the Monaco Grand Prix, to a hometown hero chasing his first factors of the season, listed below are the important thing storylines for the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix.
Lando Norris vaults again into championship competition
Lando Norris’ second-place end within the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix pulled him to inside 13 factors of teammate Oscar Piastri within the Drivers’ Championship race.
However his win in Monaco, capping off what he known as a “good” weekend, was the newest chapter in what’s turning into a captivating Drivers’ Championship race.
Piastri’s three consecutive wins — spanning from the Bahrain Grand Prix by way of Saudi Arabia and Miami — noticed the McLaren driver get away a 16-point lead within the Drivers’ Championship race. However Max Verstappen’s win in Imola (together with Norris’ P2) pulled that pair nearer to Piastri on the high of the desk.
And with Norris ending on the highest of the rostrum in Monaco, and Piastri in third, the hole between the teammates is simply three factors because the grid heads to Barcelona.
In the mean time Piastri leads the way in which with 161 factors, adopted by Norris on 158 and Verstappen in third with 136. However what is perhaps much more notable for Norris is the shape he confirmed in Monaco and the assumption that may carry ahead the remainder of the season.
“I’ve been working laborious over the previous few months to get again to having that momentum that I had in Australia, that confidence,” started Norris after the Monaco Grand Prix. “What I felt this weekend was a small step ahead, nevertheless it’s not it. It’s not like I’ve nailed it now and the whole lot’s again.
“There are nonetheless issues that I have to work on, there are nonetheless issues that – as a staff – them giving me the gear – and I don’t imply simply making a faster automotive, as a result of the automotive’s fast sufficient – however giving me the issues I would like from the automotive as a way to excel and maximize outcomes, and the variations from final yr to this yr,” continued Norris. “So, nonetheless issues from each side, however I’m very pleased with yesterday. I’m happier with yesterday’s end result than I’m of in the present day’s. I imply, in the present day is unbelievable, however I used to be extra emotional yesterday than I used to be in the present day. That’s how a lot yesterday meant to me, to sort of get my groove again in qualifying, as a result of it’s one thing I’ve simply had my complete life. It’s simply all the time been good, till this yr. And I’ve needed to work laborious to attempt to get it again.
As for why Norris wanted to “attempt to get” that qualifying type again, he famous that competing in opposition to the very best on the planet means he must be a his “highest degree” attainable.
“For no different cause other than a few issues that I’ve clearly struggled with and likewise simply having robust competitors. Having Oscar, Charles, Max, I’m in opposition to the very best guys on the planet. And when you’re not performing on the highest degree, you’re not going to compete in opposition to them,” added Norris. “So, yeah, nobody is aware of the quantity of labor and energy that goes into issues other than me and my staff. And that’s the one individuals who have to know what goes into the whole lot and know the reality of the whole lot. And that’s the way in which it should keep.”
The primary two races of this triple-header noticed Verstappen, after which Norris, challenge their responses to Piastri’s robust type.
We’ll see how the ultimate chapter on this trilogy unfolds.
The newest chapter within the flexi-wing saga
Is that this the week the whole lot adjustments?
McLaren’s rivals would like to assume so.
In current weeks the technical debate has centered on McLaren’s capacity to maintain their tires in an optimum working window, whereas their rivals typically cope with tire overheating and degradation. That was definitely a spotlight within the hours after the Miami Grand Prix, the place Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris locked out the entrance row. Whereas rivals comparable to Christian Horner and Toto Wolff praised McLaren and their engineers for the event of the MCL39, different media retailers reported that Pink Bull specifically was going to nice lengths — together with utilizing thermal imaging — to attempt to uncover what McLaren was doing to maintain their rear tires in a greater working window.
To be clear, neither Piastri’s No. 81 nor Norris’ No. 4 has failed any technical inspections this season, and a post-race inspection of Piastri’s MCL39 following his win in Miami discovered that “[a]ll inspected parts have been discovered to be in conformance with the 2025 System One Technical Laws.”
Nonetheless, that isn’t the one technical matter on the docket, and a much bigger one comes into clearer focus this week.
The 2025 F1 season started with continued debate over the “flexi-wing” challenge, which was a heated subject of debate because the 2024 season wrote its ultimate chapters. The difficulty? Entrance and rear wings that will go technical inspections throughout a static take a look at, however would “flex” below aerodynamic load, creating what some termed a “mini-DRS” impact.
Whereas the game’s governing physique, the FIA, famous that every one groups have been compliant with the technical rules, following the Singapore Grand Prix McLaren modified the rear wings on their automobiles.
Forward of this season, the FIA launched new testing for the rear wings, which started on the Australian Grand Prix. Nonetheless, at this week’s Spanish Grand Prix extra testing will probably be executed on entrance wings, which McLaren’s rivals consider may very well be a “gamechanger” for the season.
“The largest one in all probability will probably be Spain as a result of we’ve got a transparent change of regulation with the whole new entrance wing. This might change just a little bit the image of the championship. Let’s look forward to this,” mentioned Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur forward of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
“It may very well be a reset on the fast image, however not on the championship. The man who will lead the championship in Spain will nonetheless lead the championship after Spain, however, by way of pure efficiency, it may very well be a gamechanger.”
Count on the “flexi-wing” debate to be an enormous speaking level this week.
Fernando Alonso’s quest for his first factors of 2025
Just a few seasons in the past, the grid arrived in Barcelona for the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix with Fernando Alonso dreaming of securing his long-awaited thirty third Grand Prix victory at residence. Alonso and Aston Martin roared out of the gate that season, with Alonso having secured a podium in 5 of the earlier six Grands Prix.
Now because the grid arrives in Barcelona, the hometown hero remains to be on the lookout for his first level of the marketing campaign.
Alonso is coming off maybe his finest shot at factors this season, as he certified up in P7 for the Monaco Grand Prix, and began sixth after a three-place grid penalty was handed out to Lewis Hamilton for impeding Max Verstappen throughout qualifying. Given the problem in overtaking at Monaco, it appeared a top-ten end was within the playing cards.
However Alonso’s ARM25 suffered an issue with the Vitality Restoration System on Lap 15, and the staff finally retired his automotive.
“I had an issue with the engine since lap 15 so we have been down on energy. I believed we would be capable to maintain on as a result of overtaking could be very troublesome right here, however sadly that wasn’t the case,” mentioned Alonso after the race. “We misplaced one other nice alternative to attain some good factors in the present day. I’m proud of my efficiency this weekend and we transfer on to the following race for one more alternative to go once more.”
Can he break by way of together with his first factors of the 2025 season at residence?
Carlos Sainz Jr.’s Spanish debut for Williams
Fernando Alonso shouldn’t be the one driver about to race in entrance of his hometown followers.
Carlos Sainz Jr. heads to Barcelona now as a driver for Williams, and enters the Spanish Grand Prix on one thing of a sizzling streak. Sainz has completed within the factors in every of the 4 Grands Prix, and whereas he has but to succeed in the rostrum this yr, he has acclimated to life at Williams moderately properly.
Can Sainz rating at residence?
The way forward for the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona
Just like one of many main speaking factors forward of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, what’s the way forward for F1 in Barcelona?
Madrid takes over because the host of the Spanish Grand Prix subsequent yr, with a brand new circuit becoming a member of the grid that may see drivers wind by way of the Spanish capital on each avenue and non-street sections. In accordance with F1, the brand new circuit positioned simply 5 minutes from Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suarez airport “will turn out to be one of the vital accessible races on the F1 calendar, with the circuit only a quick commute away by Metro, practice, and metropolis traces.” Estimates maintain that “90% of followers will be capable to journey to the paddock by way of public transport, whereas these staying in native lodging will probably be a brief stroll away from the venue.”
Nonetheless, Barcelona remains to be below contract for a race in 2026. Race promoters signed a contract extension with F1 in November of 2021 that runs by way of subsequent season.
Race promoters are eager to increase that contract, which might give Spain races in each Barcelona and Madrid, however given the discussions over the way forward for Imola — with F1 officers noting that it is perhaps an excessive amount of for one nation to host greater than a single Grand Prix, United States apart — the way forward for an F1 Grand Prix in Barcelona past 2026 is a matter of open debate.
There will probably be monitor motion forward of the yr in Barcelona, as F1 already introduced a pair of testing periods earlier than the 2026 season to provide groups additional time with their 2026 challengers, the primary below the game’s incoming technical rules.
However what about racing in Barcelona for 2026 and past?
