The Circuit de Catalunya hosts the fifth round of the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship as teams and drivers arrive in Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix.
After four ‘flyaway’ races F1 returns to the comfortable familiarity of trucks and motorhomes for the start of the European season.
Barcelona is famed as a bellwether circuit: cars that race well here are expected to race well in any and all conditions.
The logic behind this is that the Circuit de Catalunya provides a well-rounded examination of every aspect of car design, requiring maximum downforce, strong power delivery, excellent traction and handling.
Particularly interesting is how Pirelli’s Hard and Medium compounds will cope with the conditions. The Circuit de Catalunya has a combination of high-energy corners, an abrasive surface and only one long straight on which tyres can cool.
In warm weather degradation is expected to be high, with the left side of the car particularly vulnerable. While the tyre manufacturer does not predict a repeat of last year’s four-stop strategies, the powerful new cars are nevertheless expected to work tyres hard.
Mercedes arrive at the Spanish Grand Prix in ominous form. With a clean sweep of pole positions and victories, they are very much the team to beat in 2014.
Lewis Hamilton has been the driver to watch so far this year, winning the last three races – but it is team-mate Nico Rosberg who leads the Championship.
Barcelona, however, is the race at which teams traditionally reveal their first major upgrade of the season. Though 2014 has seen a constant stream of traffic between the factories and the circuit, with upgrades appearing on a daily basis, most teams have circled this race for something more substantial.
While Mercedes may hold too much of an advantage for the moment, down the order there is much potential for movement.
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