Spain 2014 - GP Preview - Red Bull Renault

Sebastian Vettel

Formula One returns to Europe with the Spanish GP. A nice side aspect of that is that we are back in the Energy Station, which provides a lot of space for us and the team – it will become a little bit like home over the next few weeks! The Circuit de Catalunya is varied with 180 degree bends, fast, sweeping corners and elevation changes. There isn’t much opportunity to overtake, so getting a good start position in qualifying will be crucial. The long, fast curves of Montmelo mean that it will suit a car with highly efficient aerodynamics. The track is very challenging on the tyres because of the same very fast corners, so lots of pit stops are likely in the race.

Daniel Ricciardo

I’ve always enjoyed the Circuit de Catalunya and think it’s a great track. It’s a ‘bit of everything’ circuit – which is why it’s proved so popular as a testing venue. The first sector is really nice, with the corners all flowing together and the second sector, while a bit more technical, is also really interesting. The final sector is less good but you can understand why they changed it; I assume the old layout was more exciting. It’s a good track to defend on, but one that demands a lot of concentration and the right set-up. The trade-off is that you need fairly low downforce on the long main straight but that compromises the rest of your lap and makes the car difficult to control. Finding the right balance isn’t simple.