Alonso, Sutil, expect Red Bull to maintain 2010 edge

Barcelona next weekend will not be the scene of a radical shakeup in the pecking-order of the leading teams.

That is the opinion of drivers Fernando Alonso and Adrian Sutil, ahead of the forthcoming Spanish grand prix where most teams will debut significant upgrades in the wake of the opening flyaway races of 2010.

"I don’t expect any major shifts in the (Barcelona) field," Bahrain winner Alonso, third in the championship for Ferrari, is quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport.

If anything, "one car will improve by three tenths and another by four", he explained, adding that while he thinks Ferrari can catch Red Bull’s quickest car, the Renault-powered RB6 "will be strong until the end of the season".

German Sutil agrees that the top ten will be "very similar" in Barcelona compared to the pecking-order established so far in 2010.

"Nobody will be finding half a second in their car, because right now it’s really hard to improve them.

"Everybody is at a point where it’s hard to find every single tenth," the Force India driver told F1’s official website.

Like Alonso, Sutil also expects Red Bull to maintain its edge.

"There (in Spain) you just need downforce, so I think it’s a Red Bull circuit again. You have a long straight, but if you have a quick car through the corners, it’s definitely a better way."