Leclerc recovers from spin to take pole for Spanish GP

The Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix could be an interesting affair but given the historic lack of passing at this circuit, the key to an exciting race will be the new cars and the tight battle at the front.

Charles Leclerc spun on his first attempt for pole in the qualifying Q3 session but he bounced back with a final run that secured pole position over Max Verstappen who had a loss of power on his final run leaving him starting second ahead of hometown hero, Carlos Sainz in his Ferrari.

In picking my Fantasy GP predictions, I had Leclerc on pole but like the last couple of races, I am still wondering if Ferrari can overcome their degradation issues they’ve experienced with their tires. This is something Red Bull seem better at which makes their long-run pace a slightly better choice. Well, that’ what I’m thinking but that may not be the case.

Ferrari brought a raft of upgrades this weekend and perhaps they’ve cured their tire heat and wear issues and if that’s the case, it will be hard to beat Leclerc.

The better news of the weekend is the improvements that Mercedes has made with George Russell starting in fourth on the second row and Lewis Hamilton starting 6th. It’s a good sign that the team are starting to unlock some of the car’s potential and if this performance holds, they may have just launched themselves into the best-of-the-rest role. That’s not where they want to be, ultimately, but they can certainly work from there to move forward.

The improvement would suggest that perhaps the Mercedes car is capable of being improved and developed and that’s a very good sign. Team boss Toto Wolff is always saying that this car should be the class of the field and if they can just unlock its potential, it may be running up front. Time will tell but this weekend is a good first step.

Other great run for Valtteri Bottas starting P7 with both Haas cars in the top 10.

Spanish GP Qualifying Results: