F1 is back this weekend, making the relatively short trip from Monaco to the outskirts of Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix. The series has visited the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya every year since 1991, almost always occupying a place at the start of the calendar.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix:
2023 Spanish Grand Prix TV/Streaming Schedule
All times Eastern
Sunday
7:30 a.m. to 8:55 a.m.: Pre-race show (ESPN, ESPN app)
8h55-11h: Spanish Grand Prix (ESPN, ESPN app, F1TV)
Starting grid for the Spanish Grand Prix
Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari
Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes
Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes
Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault
Nico Hulkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari
Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes
Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes
Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault
Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
George Russell (63), Mercedes
Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari
Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes
Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari
Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes
Gasly receives two penalties on the grid
Following Saturday’s qualifying sessions, the stewards awarded two separate three-place grid drops to Alpine’s Pierre Gasly – who had posted the fourth-fastest time in Q3 – for obstruction. In the first race of Q1, Gasly appeared to pass Red Bull’s Max Verstappen but stood still for Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez who had to lift the throttle. Later in the session, when he wasn’t on a flying lap, he was judged not to be wide enough for Verstappen.
Gasly will now start the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix from 10th place on the grid.
Perez and Russell out of Q2
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Mercedes’ George Russell were surprisingly eliminated in Q2, along with Zhou Guanyu, Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda. Perez went into the gravel at the start of his last flying lap, forcing him to retire and try again with now dirty tires. Russell also made contact with teammate Lewis Hamilton late in the session. Perez’s teammate Max Verstappen was the fastest in the session with a time of 1:12.760.
Hamilton fastest in Q1, Leclerc eliminated
After a frustrating Friday in which Lewis Hamilton thought he might be out early in qualifying, the Mercedes driver set the fastest lap in Q1 with a 1:12.937. Last year’s poleman Charles Leclerc complained about his rear tires throughout the session and was eliminated, as were Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen, Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant.
Verstappen fastest in Friday practice
Max Verstappen was fastest in Friday’s two practice sessions. His lap of 1:14.606 in Free Practice 1 was 0.7.68 seconds quicker than his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. Spaniard Fernando Alonso was second to Verstappen in Free Practice 2 in 1:14.077 behind the Dutchman in 1:13.907. Haas’ Kevin Magnussen surprised many in the paddock, finishing third in FP 2 with a lap of 1:14.177.
2023 Spanish Grand Prix Details
Track: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Barcelona), 2.83 miles, 14-turn permanent road course
Length: 66 laps for 187 miles
Lap record: N/A (new configuration for 2023)
Tire compounds: C1 (hard), C2 (medium), C3 (soft)
Chicane removed for 2023
When Catalunya opened its doors 32 years ago, it featured a 14-turn layout. In 2007 a chicane was introduced between turns 13 and 14 with the intention of adding another overtaking opportunity. This chicane has been eliminated for this year, mainly due to the latest aero regulations and cars not being able to keep up in dirty air.
Top drivers and best bets for the Spanish Grand Prix
Max Verstappen enters again with a negative number and only two other drivers – his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso – are better than 22 to 1 to win the race, according to BetMGM. Verstappen has won four of the six rounds of the world championship this season, including the only race on a permanent circuit like Catalunya, and holds a 39-point lead in the standings.
Better chances of winning
Max Verstappen-250
Sergio Perez +350
Fernando Alonso +800
If you’re looking for bets outside of Verstappen or Red Bull, we wrote about some interesting props earlier in the week. We like the chances of Alonso to finish on the podium (-185) as well as Esteban Ocon of Alpine to finish in the top 6.
List of entrants for the Spanish Grand Prix
Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari
Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes
George Russell (63), Mercedes
Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault
Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault
Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes
Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes
Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes
Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes
Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari
Nico Hulkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari
Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes
Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes
Weather for the Spanish Grand Prix
The forecast is pretty good for the race, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. on weekends, fewer variables usually mean boring races.