Barcelona-Catalunya hosts Formula 1 action
The Formula 1 season continues with round seven, the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, held from 12-14 June. This event marks the first of two races in Spain this season. The lights are set to go out at 14:00 BST on Sunday for the main race.
The weather forecast for the weekend in Spain indicates hot, dry, and sunny conditions. Temperatures are expected to reach highs of between 26C and 28C during Friday’s practice sessions and Saturday’s qualifying. Sunday’s grand prix, starting at 3pm local time, is also anticipated to be sunny with a top temperature of 27C during the race.
This year’s event sees a name change, as it is now known as the ‘Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix’ rather than the ‘Spanish Grand Prix’. The traditional ‘Spanish Grand Prix’ will be held in Madrid from 11-13 September at the Madring, a new purpose-built track. This season is also the last year that both Barcelona and Belgium’s Spa-Francorchamps circuit will appear on the calendar simultaneously, as they will alternate until 2032.
Driver standings and rookie appearances
In the drivers’ championship, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli secured his fifth consecutive victory in Monaco, extending his lead to 66 points. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton finished second in Monaco, moving above George Russell in the standings. Russell has dropped to third, 68 points behind Antonelli, after failing to score points for the second consecutive race weekend.
This weekend in Barcelona will see an influx of rookie drivers participating in the first practice session (FP1). Each full-time driver is required to give up their seat for a new driver during two practice sessions throughout the season. American Colton Herta is making his first Formula 1 appearance, stepping in for Sergio Perez at Cadillac during the opening hour.
Herta, a former IndyCar driver, moved to Formula 2 with Hitech this season and is currently 13th in those standings. Also new to FP1 is Leo Fornaroli, a 21-year-old Italian who won back-to-back titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2. Fornaroli has been picked up by McLaren as a reserve driver for the 2026 season.
Other drivers making their FP1 debut include Fred Vesti for Mercedes, replacing Kimi Antonelli, and Dino Beganovic for Ferrari, stepping in for Lewis Hamilton. Ayumu Iwasa will replace Isack Hadjar at Red Bull, while Luke Browning takes over from Alex Albon at Williams. Paul Aron will drive for Audi, replacing Nico Hulkenberg, and Leo Fornaroli will replace Lando Norris at McLaren.
George Russell’s milestone in Barcelona
George Russell will celebrate a century of Grands Prix for Mercedes this weekend in Barcelona. His career with Mercedes has included several notable performances. In 2020, while driving for Williams, Russell deputised for Lewis Hamilton at Sakhir, qualifying less than 0.03 seconds behind teammate Valtteri Bottas. Despite leading from the first turn, pit stop issues and a puncture led to a P9 finish, securing his first World Championship points.
In 2022, Russell achieved his maiden Grand Prix victory in São Paulo, starting from pole position after winning the Sprint race. He led nearly every lap of the Grand Prix. In 2024, at Spa, he demonstrated strong tyre management, holding off Lewis Hamilton for a victory, though he was later disqualified for an underweight car.
Russell also secured victories in Canada and Singapore in 2025, converting pole positions into wins in both races. Earlier this year, at Australia 2026, he started from pole ahead of Kimi Antonelli and, despite a slow start, recovered to lead Antonelli for a one-two finish. The Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix practice sessions begin on Friday, 12 June.
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Source: bbc.com
