Hola, f1natics! We hope you enjoyed your week off and are ready and raring for the sexiest race of the season: Carlos Sainz Appreciation Round. This week, we find ourselves in Barcelona, where the cerveza is crisp and the circuit is certainly heating up. As much as Miami was a nice novelty, it feels like we’re finally home and the season is really alive and kicking now we’re in Europe.
It does look like this season is shaping up to be a two horse race, with Ferrari and Red Bull pulling ahead and looking to be in a league of their own. Historically Mercedes has dominated at this circuit, having qualified on pole at this circuit every year since 2013, but it really does seem like Toto could be the boy who cried Wolf(f) (lol) when it comes to Mercedes’ performance, as it seems like a lot of talk and not a lot of progress from their stable.
In any case, fans of the Scuderia will be pleased to know that Charles has flushed his annual Monaco crash out of his system, having crashed Niki Lauda’s car while taking it for a joy ride around his hometown earlier in the week. Here’s hoping that this very sad mistake is a very good omen for the Monageusque and that a good performance in this week affords him a running start for the glamour race that follows next week.
Or could this be my man Carlos’ time to shine in front of a hometown crowd? Poor fella has shown to not be that great under the pressure of such a fast car and the weight of expectation, but hopefully being at home makes for a smooth operation for the Smooth Operator, and he’s in with a chance.
As for our own little tipping competition, things are getting serious as we well and truly move into the meaty part of the season. Our content has had a glow-up thanks to everyone’s favourite Clifford (❤️ Rob ❤️), and the questions are getting more complex and involved as time goes on.
And just like any competition that attracts as much attention and hype as this one, this author has received a tipoff from an anonymous source that there very well might have been a scoring controversy that has occurred in recent weeks. Investigations are being made, internal audits are underway, royal commissions have been ordered. Something tells me someone’s about to get Michael Masi’ed (RIP). Stay tuned. 👀
But I mean as far as we know, top of the table is heating up with newcomer Robert Prosser consistently performing well and holding second place, proving incredibly annoyingly he really is good at everything, and shit at absolutely nothing (despite dropping off the pace last weekend….). While a huge round from Olivia Ralph has seen her jump to third on the podium as it currently stands (yeah the girls!). However, it’s Andrew Bath who’s standing strong in first place and doing his sausage dog Kevin proud.
Speaking of Kevin 07, with so many of us likely looking for a distraction from the existential crisis that is the state of Australian politics, there’s truly no excuse for not tuning in this weekend. Pop on some paella, crack open an Estrella and tune in for a Catalan clash, why don’t ya.
It’s race week, baby! Buena suerte and happy tipping! 💃