Key Talking Points from the Spanish GP: Insights from the F1 Paddock

Max Verstappen chained a second consecutive victory by holding Lando Norris remotely in Barcelona, ​​but the Spanish Grand Prix has shown promising signs that this season may not be a solo show. Lewis Larkam, editor -in -chief of F1 at Crash.net, sums up his observations on the ground during the 10th round of the 2024 season.

 Lando Norris can a challenge for the title?
Lando Norris may not have succeeded in converting his second pole position into a victory to Spain, undergoing his second consecutive defeat against Verstappen, but the McLaren driver was a real thorn in the foot of the Dutch in recent times. Since his first Grand Prix victory in Miami, Norris has finished second behind the Red Bull driver three times in the last four races. At 24, the Constance of Norris allowed him to overtake Charles Leclerc de Ferrari to take second place in the world championship, 69 points behind Verstappen.

Asked about his chances of challenging Verstappen for the World F1 title this year, Norris replied: “I think yes,” before conceding: “I should have done better today. We should have recovered points on Max . There was a chance to beat him in Canada.

 McLaren now has the fastest car?
Norris went less than a second from the victory in Imola and followed Verstappen by only two seconds in Spain, showing the strength of the McLaren MCL38. Carlos Sainz de Ferrari thinks that McLaren is now the best F1 package.

“I honestly think that the most constant car right now is a McLaren,” said Sainz. “Red Bull has difficulties in certain circuits. McLaren is fast everywhere. They are fast when turns, they are thoroughly in the three and nine turns. They were the fastest in the five turn.”

Toto Wolff, boss of Mercedes, shares this opinion: “The McLaren looked very fast. I think Max always has a little something in reserve and can make the difference. But McLaren and Red Bull are currently establishing the standard.”

Tensions in Ferrari?
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz hung on to turn 1 during the Spanish Grand Prix. Leclerc ended up getting ahead of Sainz in fourth position, but the two pilots mutually bloomed after the race. Leclerc suggested that Sainz “wanted to impress during his home race” while his future in F1 remains uncertain after losing his seat for the benefit of Lewis Hamilton. Sainz replied: “It is too often that he [Leclerc] complains of something after the race.”

The director of the Ferrari team, Frederic Vasseur, quickly minimized discussions on tensions between Leclerc and Sainz, stressing that emotions are always raised just after a race.

“Let’s talk about it and do not draw a conclusion after the pilot’s first comment when he leaves the car,” he said.

The Spanish Grand Prix offered intriguing prospects for the rest of the season. With Norris ready to challenge Verstappen, McLaren emerging as a dominant force, and potential tensions at Ferrari, the 2024 championship promises to be captivating.