F1: Spanish Grand Prix – live | Formula One

Meanwhile, Verstappen, apparently it’s on a used set of tires and the reports say it could be soft, medium, soft.

The formation tour is underway!

Our drivers are in their cars, the tires are warming up well; “the best car wins in Spain, most of the time,” says Simon Brotherton, noting that all but Alex Albon, who started from the it lane, were on softs.

Then Barcelona. Of course, any city with a beach and reliable heat is at a high level, but of those that do, this one is not one of my favorites. The city needs work.

Earlier we could hear a version of the Sade classic, Smooth Operator. I’m not sure it was this one, but we do the best we can with the materials we have.

You always want to start first, says Verstappen, but it’s a long way to turn one, and it’s generally such a long race that its outcome won’t be decided in the first turn.

George Russell will not reveal the tactics of the Mercedes team, while Christian Horner thinks all the cars look pretty close and that anything can happen. Closer competition puts pressure on everyone and it’s all about attention to detail, but Verstappen is pushing hard.

This version, however, despite the nice string quartet, it doesn’t nail the chorus the way I would have liked.

Sainz tells Skye that he’s going to the catwalk with an umbrella protecting him from the sun. We are almost ready for Marcha Real – one of the four, Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino and Kosovo, the rest, no text. It’s a lovely tune though.

Gerard Pique, meanwhile, dressed in beige with beige, including a knitted affair on top, does not know who will win. More news when I get it; unfortunately we don’t have a photo to laugh at.

Flavio Briatore, who wears fancy glasses and now works for Alpine, is in good spirits. He will do “whatever it takes to make the team competitive,” but when asked to elaborate, he wants in return to be given a chance to work it out.

It also continues…

It’s an absolute kick in the stands, a raft of orange-clad spectators bouncing around. The atmosphere is building…

Nothing to do with F1, but everything to do with everything. My eyeballs sweat profusely; look at this.

We have had four different drivers in pole in the last four races, which perhaps tells us that Red Bull and Verstappen are returning to the fold. It will still take something stunning to stop them from recording a fourth straight title, but this season is already more fun than the last because of it.

Driver ranking

Apparently the wind is picking up. This will make the start even more important than usual and if Norris can get out of the first turn at the front he will fancy himself holding on.

The grid

Preamble