STRATEGY GUIDE: What are the options for the Barcelona-Catalunya GP?

Following a dispiriting Monaco Grand Prix, George Russell relocated his mojo in the best way possible with pole position here in Barcelona – but the field behind him is compressed, with little to choose between Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull and strategy likely to dominate. So with the heat and layout torturing the tyres, let’s have a look at the options for race day.

What happened last year?

The 2025 Spanish Grand Prix is good guide in terms of what should have happened, rather than what did happen. The C1 hard tyre wasn’t popular in Barcelona – it was struggling for grip, sliding too much and overheating – so everyone shunned it, looking instead at a two-stop on soft and medium compounds.