Barcelona Grand Prix: Comments before the stage

      Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team

      Toto Wolff: "Barcelona is a more traditional and therefore more representative track that truly allows us to assess the car's capabilities. There is a long straight and a combination of fast, medium-speed, and slow corners, so after two rounds with a sprint and the race in Monaco, we will have a clearer understanding of our level.

      This will be the first weekend after which we can better understand the effectiveness of the latest updates and assess our position relative to our competitors. Let's see how the car behaves, whether it has the necessary speed, and if we can unlock its potential. Until then, it is not wise to draw far-reaching conclusions based on the results of the last races.

      Kimi has certainly gained extra confidence after the Monaco round, but now it is important to continue progressing and do our job well in Barcelona. For George, the last races have not gone well, but that is part of racing. We know how strong he is psychologically, we know what he is capable of, and we know that he has the right people around him. The task is simple – to leave the past rounds behind, focus on the upcoming weekend, and show the result he is capable of.

      In the first practice session, Kimi's car will be driven by Frederic. He plays an important role in the development of the W17 and helps us better understand how to unlock the car's potential. This session will give him the opportunity to connect his simulator experience with the real car, and for us to gather even more useful information for further improvements."

      Scuderia Ferrari

      Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal: "We arrive in Barcelona after two rounds where we demonstrated a promising level of competitiveness.

      In Monaco and Canada, we managed to achieve good results, but we understand that there is still a lot of work ahead, and we need to remain focused on our own progress.

      As usual, our goal is to maximize the car's potential and continue moving forward."

      Interview: Dino Beganovich

      McLaren Formula 1 Team

      Comment from Andrea Stella...

      Leonardo Fornaroli: "I am looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the MCL40 in Spain during the first practice. This is a great opportunity to help the team prepare for the round and execute the planned program for Friday.

      For me, this is also a very important moment, as the upcoming practice will be my first official session in Formula 1. I have worked hard to get here and am very grateful for the opportunity to take the next step with McLaren Racing.

      The experience I gained this year from participating in tests of previous years' cars (TPC) has been very useful for my development and has helped me better understand the nuances of driving a Formula 1 car.

      I want to thank Zak Brown, Andrea Stella, and Alessandro Alunni Bravi for their constant support. I can't wait to get behind the wheel on Friday."

      Haas F1 Team

      Ayo Komatsu, Team Principal: "The second European round of the season will take place at the Barcelona circuit, where we first tested the car built under the new regulations in January. Since then, we have come to understand the car much better.

      However, in Barcelona, we will face completely different challenges compared to the two previous rounds that took place on temporary street circuits. In both races, we managed to score points, but we understand that now we need to take a step forward. We must use all the experience gained from these rounds and adapt to the completely different requirements of the Barcelona track.

      Even though we performed well in Monaco overall, we still have the feeling that we could have achieved more. Therefore, we are looking forward to the opportunity to get back on track this weekend."

      Oliver Berman: "The good thing about racing is that the next chance to score points comes very quickly, and a disappointing weekend can be left behind immediately. That’s what I’m counting on in Barcelona.

      All the drivers know this track well, and I hope that here we can fully assess the effect of the car updates that we brought to Canada. Barcelona has both slow and fast corners, as well as overtaking opportunities. I believe we can fight for positions in the top ten on this track."

      Esteban Ocon: "It's nice to get back on track quickly after scoring points in Monaco. Over the years, we have learned the Barcelona track very well. We have been going there for many years, and I feel like I have driven thousands of laps there in my career.

      I first got behind the wheel of a 'formula' in Spain, and I achieved one of my first victories here in Formula Renault. Additionally, we have conducted a huge number of tests on this track.

      For our team, the Monaco round was challenging, so now we are hoping for a calmer and more predictable weekend without unnecessary problems, and we hope to score points again."

      Alpine F1

      Pierre Gasly: "After Monaco, I have mixed emotions about what happened in the race. It’s hard to come to terms with, and I think I will remember this episode in the future as one of those cases where everything could have turned out differently.

      I am very proud of how we conducted the Monaco round. The weekend was challenging, and we had to work hard to maximize the car's capabilities. As a result, we made it to the final qualifying session and managed to outpace some of our closest competitors who were very strong on this track.

      In the race, we also had to fight. We managed to overtake McLaren and Red Bull, gained several positions, and found ourselves in a very advantageous position for a good result. But, as we know, we did not achieve it. I know the team continues to work on the request for a review of the decision.

      After the race, I had a few calm days, and now all my thoughts are focused on Barcelona. We know this track well and have already completed many laps on this year's cars during the January tests. I hope we can continue to improve, unlocking the car's potential, and fight for high positions again to continue our points streak."

      Franco Colapinto: "The race in Monaco was challenging for us, and the whole weekend was tough. During the race, we could not make progress, and we got stuck in a group of cars outside the top ten.

      Last weekend, we had opportunities to achieve more, but we could not take advantage of them. Now it is important to figure out what the team could have done better.

      The European part of the season has already begun, and now the races will follow one after another. This weekend we will race again in Barcelona and continue to work hard to come back stronger.

      For the first time this year, we will be on a track where we already have a large amount of information about the A526 car, thanks to the tests conducted in January. Since then, the cars have changed significantly, and we have a much better understanding of the new regulations, so it will be very interesting to get on track on Friday and assess the progress we have made in such a short time.

      All drivers know this track well, and it is an excellent test of a Formula 1 car's capabilities due to the combination of medium-speed and fast corners. I like this circuit, and throughout my career, I have stood on the podium here in various series. I hope this positive experience will help me achieve the maximum in each session."

      Red Bull Racing

      Max Verstappen: "In Monaco, we did not achieve the desired result, which was a big disappointment for the team – everything went well over the weekend, but it ended completely differently than we expected.

      Barcelona is a completely different track, with fast corners, long turns, and a long straight, where it will be interesting to see how big a step forward we have made.

      I have many memories of Barcelona, including my first victory ten years ago. So I am very happy to return here and race again."

      Isaac Hajar: "My first podium with the team in Monaco was a special moment. It speaks to the progress the team has made and serves as a great reward for the hard work.

      We know that we have to do even more to consistently compete in the leading group. Returning to Barcelona will help us assess the progress we have made compared to the winter tests."

      Ayumu Iwasa: "I am very excited about the opportunity to get behind the wheel during the first practice in Barcelona this weekend. The last time I drove a Formula 1 car was in Abu Dhabi last year, so this will be a new experience considering the changes in regulations. But I have worked a lot on the simulator, prepared – and I am looking forward to this moment."

      Racing Bulls

      Racing Bulls showcased the car livery for Barcelona...

      Liam Lawson: "The Monaco round was positive for our team. We showed good pace and achieved a result that was a reward for the work done by all team members. It feels good to know that we are improving, especially before a series of important rounds.

      The Barcelona track allows us to test all aspects of the car's performance, so we have a good opportunity to continue moving forward. Let's see what we can achieve this weekend.

      Additionally, it will be especially nice to race in the special CARB FC livery, which combines two sports that enjoy immense popularity and support from fans worldwide. I am looking forward to getting back on track."

      Arvid Lindblad: "The weekend in Monaco was challenging and very intense. After a disappointing qualifying session, we managed to turn the situation around, and thanks to excellent teamwork, we earned important points on Sunday