Barcelona Speed Trap: Who is the fastest of them all?

Formula 1 teams – engineers and drivers alike – know the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya like the back of their hand, having accumulated tens of thousands of miles and terabytes of data over the years.

But the 4.6km track still poses a complex aerodynamic challenge to engineers. While its long main straight demands a low-drag setup for maximum speed – which facilitates overtaking, the track also features a mix of high-speed corners and tight chicanes.

A proper aero compromise – which considers a team’s objectives in qualifying (an important factor given Barcelona’s overtaking challenges) and on race day – is therefore crucial.

The versatility of the Circuit de Catalunya’s layout has historically implied that if a car performs well at the venue, then it should perform well everywhere.

So far this season, McLaren’s MCL39 has demonstrated a compelling level of versatility of its own, as team papaya’s victorious performance last week in Monaco and its supremacy in qualifying on Saturday in Barcelona proved.

While George Russell topped the speed trap readings in qualifying with 330.0 km/h, Piastri’s second-fastest velocity is noteworthy given that McLaren’s car is usually ‘draggy’ and rarely among the fastest down the straights.

Ahead of this weekend’s event, there were expectations that McLaren would be hurt by the FIA’s flexi-wing clampdown. But that clearly hasn't been the case – as team boss Andrea Stella warned ahead of time. Not only is the MCL39 fast in a straight line, it’s also on top in the corners.

That tells us all we need to know about the car’s superior aero efficiency and balance.

• Read also: Hamilton calls flexi-wing clampdown ‘a waste of everyone’s money’

Looking at team papaya’s rivals, Red Bull still boasts strong traction while Mercedes’ W16 remains well-rounded. As for Ferrari, the SF-25 is weak – or let’s say weaker than its opponents – almost everywhere, but especially in the fast corners, hampered by oversteer as Lewis Hamilton highlighted after Friday’s practice.

On the strategy front, a soft-medium-soft two-stopper is fastest, on paper, according to Pirelli. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc purposefully limited his run in Q3 to a single flyer, precisely to save a set of soft tyres, although the choice set the Monegasque back to P7 on the grid.

McLaren’s race pace has obviously been strong this season. But Norris’ long run in FP2, on the medium compound, was blindingly fast. And that could make all the difference in Sunday’s 66-lap event, so keep an eye on McLaren's middle stint pace on the mediums.

But then again, who knows what trick Verstappen will pull out of his bag at Turn 1…

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