© Getty ImagesThe Highs and Lows of BarcelonaThe Team’s best and worst moments from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
DataisKing!Andbucket-loadsofdataiswhateveryteamhasontheCircuitdeBarcelona-Catalunyathankstoyearsofcompetingthereandthefactthatithasbeenthehomeofwintertestingformanyseasons.Duetoallthisknowledgeofthetrack,itcanbehardforanyteamtobesuccessfulformultipleseasonsinarowattheSpanishGrandPrix.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is loved by all drivers thanks to its mix of high- and low-speed turns as well as a long start/finish straight, which allows the cars to stretch their legs making for exciting races over the 19 years Oracle Red Bull Racing has competed. The Bulls have had their fair share of trophies from the Catalonian track and not too many bad times. There have been a few trophyless seasons in Spain, but nothing that can be construed as a ‘low’, so here are some of the highs…
The 2009 Spanish Grand Prix saw Brawn at the height of its power. Sebastian Vettel was able to qualify in P2, behind Jenson Button with Mark Webber in P5. During the race, Mark was able to get ahead of the slower Ferraris and his teammate to take P3 behind Button and Rubens Barrichello. Seb finished in P4. It was the Team’s first silverware in Spain and the second podium finish for Mark as a Bull.
After that first sip of success in Barcelona, the Bulls went on a two-season winning streak collecting three podiums between them in Spain.
2010 saw Mark qualify in Pole and Seb in P2. Mark went on to dominate the race leading every lap. Seb was with him, pulling away from Lewis Hamilton, but there was a mistake in Seb’s pitstop, costing him four seconds and P2. He had to settle for P3, whilst mark took the top step on the podium.
A year later it was the same story in qualifying, with Mark on Pole and Seb in P2. It was to be Seb’s day however. Fernando Alonso took the lead in his Ferrari at the start, but the Bulls came into their own at the pitstops and the Team were able to get Seb out quickly. He re-joined the action in P1 where he stayed until the chequered flag – his only win in Spain.
DannyRic’sFirstTasteOfGlory
2014 was the start of Daniel Ricciardo’s career with Oracle Red Bull Racing and after a DSQ, a retirement and two P4 finishes, the Aussie was desperate to stand on the podium. And in Spain he did just that.
Starting In P3, he was overtaken by Valtteri Bottas early on and dropped to fourth. The Team told him to drop back and preserve his tyres, which he did. And then at the round of pitstops, Danny Ric was able to perform the overcut and was ahead of Bottas after the Finnish driver pitted. From then on, he maintained his position and collect his first – of 29 – trophies for the Team.
The day Max made his Grand Prix debut for the Team was the day he started smashing records. To be fair, he’d already collected one - becoming the youngest ever F1 driver - and people had already taken notice of the young Dutchman. After Barcelona 2016, everyone knew the name Max Verstappen.
On lap 34 Max entered the pits in P2 and re-joined the action in P4. He was the first to pit out of the front runners, and as each car in front of him dove into the pits he gained a position. On lap 44 he was in P1 but was under tremendous pressure from Kimi Räikkönen, who was just behind him on fresher tyres. Max drove with a maturity of a much more experienced driver, using his tyres in the overtaking areas and then preserving them in the other parts so Räikkönen was unable to overtake. Max took the win and the records of the youngest driver to lead a race, the youngest winner and the first Dutchman to win a Formula One race – wonder if he’s done much since….?
After a tricky start in 2022, the Bulls had started to dominate. At the Spanish Grand Prix, Max and Checo controlled the field. Max qualified in P2 with Checo in fifth, but the RB18 was too strong for all rivals. Race leader, Charles Leclerc retired with an engine issue on lap 27 putting Max in the lead and Checo was able to get ahead of Carlos Sainz and George Russell to get P2. He also claimed the fastest lap as well, ensuring maximum points for the Team. It was the second one-two finish of the season.
Max and Checo return to Barcelona this weekend. Free Practice One will kick off the weekend at 13:30 track time (11:30 UTC). Make sure you keep coming back here for exclusive stories, videos, pictures and analysis.
