Spanish GP 2022: Will Mercedes domination in Barcelona come to a halt?


Spanish GP 2022: Will Mercedes domination in Barcelona come to a halt?

Lewis Hamilton after winning the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix

Mercedes’ stint at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been consistently massive from the 2017 Spanish Grand Prix at the very same circuit. Out of all the circuits, the Catalunya circuit has always favoured the Brackley-based racing team.

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7-time F1 world champion and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has won at the Barcelona circuit for a solid 5 consecutive times from the 2017 season following Max Verstapppen’s maiden F1 win at the same circuit in the 2016 F1 season.

With the 2022 Spanish GP taking place this weekend, what is certain is that it’s going to be a crucial weekend for the team at Barcelona, where they began their journey with the turbulent W13, because the track provides the starkest possibility to evaluate improvements this season. However, given the W13’s troubled nature and Ferrari and Red Bull’s advancements this season, we can assume that this weekend will put and end to Mercedes’ Spanish domination.

Also Read: Lewis Hamilton frustrated with Mercedes problems: “In theory, the down force is good”

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New upgrades for Mercedes in the Spanish GP?

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was asked after the Miami Grand Prix if Mercedes was close to abandoning their ‘sidepod-less’ construct. It is a layout that has induced numerous issues in the first five races, most notably excessive porpoising, which damaged George Russell’s car in Imola.

Wolff used the outlet to communicate his confidence in the Mercedes team, which has produced title-winning cars for the past eight seasons, but he admitted that Barcelona will be a watershed moment. “We need to give all of our people the benefit of the doubt, that have produced great race cars in the past, and we believe that this is the route to go,” said the Austrian team principal in an interview ahead of the Spanish GP weekend.

It is important to note, however, that although Mercedes does have plenty of data from the pre-season testing sessions at Barcelona, it was accomplished with the launch-spec W13 with customary sidepods. Mercedes is currently placed 3rd on the constructors’ standings for this season behind table toppers Ferrari and Red Bull at 95 points. Newly recruited Mercedes driver George Russell who has adapted to the W13 better than Hamilton is placed 4th on the drivers’ championship leaderboard with 59 points, while Hamilton continues to lag behind at 6th position with 36 points.

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Also Read: Max Verstappen does not rule out a future Mercedes or Ferrari move: “I still have the option to continue or not”

Also Read: Red Bull pinpoint the edge they have over competitors, Mercedes and Ferrari

 

 

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