Red Bull has won all six races so far this season, raising the question of whether they can become the first team in Formula 1 history to win every race in a season. Despite his dominance, driver Max Verstappen believes it is unlikely to happen due to potential issues such as retirements. The last time a team came close to achieving this feat was in 1988 when McLaren won 15 of 16 races. So far, predictions that Red Bull would dominate this season have proved correct. In fact, Verstappen was so fast in qualifying that his team called him in to avoid attempting to beat his own time, making it clear that the other teams were racing for second place.
How to Watch
Time: The Spanish Grand Prix starts at 9 a.m. Eastern time. (Global start times are available here.)
TV: The race will air on ESPN in the United States, with coverage beginning at 7:30 a.m. Eastern time and streamed on ESPN+. For viewers outside of the United States, a full list of broadcasters can be found here.
Sunday’s Starting Grid
Max Verstappen secured pole position, followed by Carlos Sainz of Ferrari in second place and Lando Norris of McLaren in third.
Sergio Pérez of Red Bull, who is currently second in the driver standings, starts in 11th place after struggling during qualifying. Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin will be starting in eighth place. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who expressed frustration with his performance after qualifying, will start from 19th place.
The Week in Photos
Sunday’s Story Lines
Changes: Seven teams have introduced technical upgrades, which could affect the race’s outcome and lead to plenty of surprises.
Home-track advantage: Fans in Spain have come out to support their countrymen Carlos Sainz of Ferrari and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin, but their home advantage may not help them overcome Red Bull’s dominant performance so far.
Sneak peak? During the Monaco race, teams were given a rare view of the floors of other teams’ cars when they were lifted by cranes after various crashes. This view is typically kept secret as the floors can contain unique aerodynamic features that provide an advantage to the teams. Commentator Ted Kravitz of Sky Sports noted that “Thanks to Sergio Perez, the whole of F1 has seen the fabled Red Bull floor.”
Qualifying 101
The first rule of qualifying in Formula 1 is: Don’t hit your teammate.
Last Time Out
In the Monaco race, Max Verstappen won by almost 30 seconds after leading from start to finish, securing his fourth win in six races so far this season.
Drivers’ Championship Standings
Max Verstappen’s dominant performance thus far has extended his lead over Sergio Perez to 39 points. The gap between the two Red Bull drivers and the remaining teams is even larger, with a 51-point gap to Fernando Alonso in third, a 75-point gap to Lewis Hamilton in fourth, and almost a 100-point gap to George Russell in fifth place.
