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The 2022 Spanish GP will mark the return of the F1 circus to Europe. We've had races in the Middle East, Australia, and the US. Now, we're back to the traditional tracks that have been here for decades and are a crucial part of F1's heritage.
The first of these races will be the Spanish GP and this one has a lot of anticipation going into it. The race in Barcelona is going to be a must-watch for all F1 fans across the globe. If you ever wonder why that is the case, then let us give you 5 reasons why the Spanish GP should not be missed!
#1 Upgrades incoming!
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F1 is back in Europe and with that, the teams have the opportunity to bring upgrades to their cars. Many teams like Red Bull have brought bits and pieces here and there in previous races. In the last few years, however, the Spanish GP has been the destination that the teams have chosen to bring major upgrades to their cars.
Having said that, multiple teams have already confirmed their upgrades for the Spanish GP, which makes the race all the more important.
Will we see a change in the pecking order? Will we see a team jumping up the order? Or will we see a team failing miserably? Guess we'll have to wait and watch now, right?
#2 F1's return to Europe
F1 is a global sport without a doubt. Having said that, though, the sport might touch down in multiple countries like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the US, and it might have a few spectacles in Jeddah or Miami, but the DNA is still in Europe.
Europe is still the place with the traditional tracks. The Spanish GP is a race that the drivers are well-versed in. They've been there and done that all these years and it does bring a sense of familiarity to these races that is somewhat missing at other events.
And talking about the quality of racing? That should not be a concern.
#3 New regulations, more overtakes?
On evidence is the fact that the new regulations have seen a jump in the way cars can follow other cars. There have also been tracks, however, where the DRS train has been a big issue. Having said that, Barcelona is a track notorious for not having far too many overtaking opportunities in the past.
One of the reasons behind it was the slow-speed S3 where cars could not follow each other closely and hence were not able to get a run on the car in front. This season, though, with the new regulations aiding the cars to follow closely with each other, in theory, we might see better overtaking opportunities this time around.
Again, the proof is in the pudding! Will we see more overtakes this time around in the Spanish GP? Let's wait and watch!
#4 Carlos Sainz's home race
Carlos Sainz has had a rather underwhelming start to his 2022 season. The Ferrari driver has been unable to get on level terms with Charles Leclerc and because of that, mistakes have crept in and he has lost out in multiple races.
The Spanish GP, however, is the perfect opportunity for Sainz to mount a comeback in the championship. It is his home race and, while he has been in the shadow of Charles Leclerc for the most part, this could be the race where Sainz could even be the favorite to win.
#5 Fernando Alonso's last Spanish GP?
Looking at Fernando Alonso's youthful exuberance, it is sometimes hard to recognize that the Spanish driver is in his 40s and in the last year of his contract. While there is a very high probability that Alonso will sign an extension with Alpine, rumors abound of the French outfit looking to replace him with Oscar Piastri.
Could it be the case that this is the last home race for the Spanish superstar? It could happen if Alpine pulls the plug on him. Should that be the case, we might be watching Fernando Alonso for the last time in front of the Spanish crowd.
