How to watch, stream, TV channel, weekend schedule, best bets, news and more from Catalunya

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

  1. Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT

  2. Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari

  3. Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes

  4. Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes

  5. Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes

  6. Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault

  7. Nico Hulkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari

  8. Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes

  9. Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes

  10. Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault

  11. Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT

  12. George Russell (63), Mercedes

  13. Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari

  14. Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT

  15. Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT

  16. Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari

  17. Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari

  18. Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes

  19. Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari

  20. 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.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 22: Max Verstappen, NDL, Oracle Red Bull Racing RB18 Honda in action during the F1 World Championship Spanish Grand Prix on May 22, 2022 in Barcelona, ​​Spain.  (Photo by Jay Hirano ATPImages/Getty Images)

Max Verstappen won the Spanish F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2022 en route to his second consecutive World Drivers’ Championship. (Photo by Jay Hirano ATPImages/Getty Images)

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.

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