Concerns continue to mount for Max Verstappen and Red Bull following a challenging first training day at the Circuit de Catalunya, in the lead-up to the Spanish Grand Prix. In the second training session, the three-time world champion only managed to clock the fifth fastest time. In contrast, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes will likely be feeling more optimistic, having surprisingly ended the day with the fastest time (1.13,264).
For Max Verstappen, it was a difficult session on the track where he claimed his very first GP victory in 2016. The three-time world champion from Red Bull complained early in the second training session that his car was not responding when steering. “The car doesn’t bite“, Verstappen lamented, expressing frustration over understeer in the corners. Shortly after, he was called in by his team and, at his request, a new front wing was fitted to his RB20.
While the Barcelona race is no longer the first European race on the F1 calendar, it remains a favorite destination for teams to upgrade their cars. Verstappen’s vehicle, for instance, has not only been equipped with a new engine, which could potentially lead to a grid penalty, but also a new gearbox and aerodynamic modifications to the sidepods, front, and rear wings.
An Exciting Continuation of the Season
Other teams have also brought significant updates to the Catalan capital, making the Barcelona race seen as a kind of restart of the season. Sunday will largely reveal how the teams will relate to each other for the rest of the season.
If the initial signs are not deceiving, it promises to be an exciting continuation of the season, with the progress that McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes have made compared to Red Bull. Norris was already the fastest in the first free practice earlier in the day, in the second session he is replaced by Lewis Hamilton.
Halfway through the training, Hamilton leads the timesheet. Behind the Brit from Mercedes, who has won the GP of Spain six times, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc follow respectively.
A Learning Race for Max
In the second part of the session, Verstappen continues to search in vain for a better balance of his car. He also struggles with his tires. “Still a learning session, Max,” his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase keeps the spirit up. That’s all that can be said on behalf of Red Bull. Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Pérez is nowhere near the fastest times. He eventually ends up with the thirteenth time, for what it’s worth…
At the end of FP2, Hamilton is at the top, followed by Sainz, Norris, Pierre Gasly, and Verstappen. The training continues without any notable incidents. The third free practice is on Saturday at 12.30 UST.
