F1® completes its European triple-header at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is gearing up to welcome the FIA Formula One World Championship. This will be the 35^th consecutive year that the Circuit has hosted the event, and it coincides with the 75^th anniversary of F1®. The paddock is already decked out in its finest attire and preparing to welcome the action on the track in just a few days’ time.

In this special edition for both parties, the outlook is somewhat different. You could say that the Circuit has been Verstappen and Hamilton territory for the last decade. Since 2016, no other driver has taken the victory. Yet this year, the dynamic could change with the rise of McLaren.

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, the Woking-based team’s duo, occupy the top two positions with an internal battle between the two that shows no signs of abating any time soon. The Australian leads the points table with a total of 161, two more than his British teammate. Piastri now has four wins in eight races, as well as three third places. His worst finish was ninth. Norris, meanwhile, has two more wins, as well as five podiums, with his worst finish being fourth.

These numbers are impressive, as McLaren has only lost in Japan and Italy, races won by Max Verstappen, who is third in the World Championship with 136 points. Although the Circuit favours the Dutchman and the performance of the Red Bull RB21, there are other drivers who are coming on strong this season.

In the Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team is in second place, thanks in part to George Russell’s performances, who is currently fourth in the Drivers’ Championship. His 99 points reflect his frequent presence on the podium, having celebrated in half of the races contested to date. Charles Leclerc follows with 79 points and somewhat more modest results. Nevertheless, the Monegasque driver arrives with extra motivation after his second-place finish in his home Grand Prix, which will give him a boost.

This motivation will also be evident in local heroes Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso. Sainz is currently 12^th in the standings in his debut season with Atlassian Williams Racing, having scored valuable points in recent rounds. This upward trend could continue at the Circuit. The same could happen to Fernando Alonso, whose run of bad luck has so far prevented him from scoring any points Hopefully, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will bring him some good news in front of the home crowd.

More home drivers in F2 and F3

As usual, the premier class will be accompanied by its two younger siblings, two competitions that complete a top-level sporting programme for spectators.

In F2, Catalan driver Pepe Martí (Campos Racing) is competing in his second season, achieving some outstanding results, including a victory.
Imola and Monaco did not go well for him, but he could turn the situation around at the Circuit. Martí arrives at his home GP in seventh position. Meanwhile, Luke Browning (Hitech TGR), Alexander Dunne (Rodin Motorsport) and Leonardo Fornaroli (Invicta Racing) lead the category standings in that order.

In F3, there is double representation thanks to Mari Boya (Campos Racing) and Bruno del Pino (MP Motorsport). Boya closes out the top 10 with 32 points, while Del Pino sits in 17th place in the championship with a total of 11 points. The rivals setting the pace and who could shine at the circuit are Rafael Camara (Trident), Tim Tramnitz (MP Motorsport) and Nikola Tsolov (Campos Racing).

A sustainable event

Under the 3C management philosophy (Conscience, Commitment and Consistency), which integrates social, economic and environmental aspects, the Circuit works to achieve responsible activity in its mission ‘Driving for a better future’, within the framework of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.

This GP, which is certified to ISO 20121 and ISO 14001 standards, is once again proud to be held at Catalonia’s largest public self-consumption photovoltaic facility. The Catalan racetrack has a total of 2,319 solar panels that generate 50% of the energy consumed.

Other promoted actions are the rental of low-emission generators, the donation of surplus food, the offer of km0 and ecological food, the presence of drinking water sources in the public areas, the improvement of the biodiversity of the green areas, the collaboration with companies with social value, the valorisation and recycling of waste, the promotion of sustainable mobility, the use of the circular economy and many more.

Activities for everyone 

The Fan Zones, which are located in the public area behind the Main Grandstand and, for the first time this year, in the N and S Grandstand areas, have become a major attraction.
They offer a variety of activities related to F1, such as eSports simulators, podium recreations, driver selfies and wind tunnel simulations. The Green Zone and the Kids Zone are located in the Crater Forest area. There will also be DJ entertainment in the Pelouse Jove Santander.