Detalles de un Gran Premio de Fórmula Uno

Details of a Formula One Grand Prix

First of all, I must say I'm somewhat surprised by the lack of publications about PSG's great victory over Inter. It was surprising to me, perhaps not so much that the French team won, but because of the huge scoreline. I never thought there would be such a huge difference, and I still believe that despite the outcome. I think it couldn't have been a more well-rounded match for the French team. In any case, and even though I know that many of our regular football writers prefer Spanish and English football over French and Italian football, I thought some of them might have dedicated their opinions and reports on the Champions League final to us. I still hope some lingerers will be willing to give us their thoughts and report on it.

Now, back to what we were talking about, a phrase often used by a well-known commentator from our media outlet when reporting on the start of an IndyCar or NASCAR race.

Talking about an F1 race is always enjoyable and exciting, and if the race was dull and lacking in excitement, it doesn't matter. For us fans of the "metal" race, all it takes is seeing the red light turn green or the checkered flag that marks the end for our excitement to be enough to write, give our opinions, and explain what happened. However, that's not all there is to a Grand Prix. There's much more, starting with free practice, qualifying, and the moments leading up to the race, when a sea of ​​guests mingles with the mechanics and engineers to stroll around and enjoy a rarely seen setting.

This is where I'm going to focus today, much more than on the race itself at Montmeló, which was somewhat emotional, although not as much as making my heart beat faster. It seems we won't have as much of a fight as we suspected up until last race. With Max Verstappen going crazy, there's little left for the rest of us. The poor guy, "overturned," as the youngsters around here say when someone loses their temper to the point of making the worst decisions and leaving the championship in the hands of the Maclaren duo, who, by the way, are sweeping everything. I firmly believe the tournament won't leave either of them unless a catastrophe occurs, one of those that rarely happen.

And so I return to the hour before the race, starting with those beautiful images of the outskirts of Barcelona, ​​with the Mediterranean Sea in the background, the distant silhouettes of the Pyrenees Mountains on one flank, and the nearby dome of the Expiatory Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, located atop Tibidabo, a famous Spanish mountain that also houses an extraordinary amusement park.

Amidst the vehicles already lined up for the pre-lap, several renowned players emerged from nowhere, most of them English, passing through because this week there's a FIFA match and they have to face Andorra. Among the most notable were Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, but also Nico Williams, Darwin Nuñez, and Robert Lewandowski, who shared a moment with Terry Crews, a former American football player and later actor who has worked in countless films.

Of course, with the FIFA match being held, Gianni Infantino couldn't be missing, the loquacious and extroverted president who is always at the center of every event around the world. Fortunately for him, his tickets are paid for by the largest football association, otherwise, he'd be sunk in poverty.

Former drivers also attend these events. One of them, seen chatting amicably with the entire paddock, was Emerson Fittipaldi, who was pleasantly surprised by the strong qualification for the race of the young Brazilian star Gabriel Bortoleto.

As in every Grand Prix, the time came for the host country's national anthem. A pleasant surprise was the performance by the Barcelona guitar orchestra, which not only played the national anthem but also that of Catalonia. The cameras kept showing Alonso and Sainz, who didn't show much emotion, likely because the pre-race training didn't allow them to.

As the sounds of the national anthem played, they showed off the trophy, which, since this season, is sponsored by a renowned brand of handbags and purses. Its design is inspired by Gaudí, the famous architect, father of Catalan modernism and builder of La Sagrada Familia, the most visited monument in all of Spain, located just a few kilometers from the circuit.

After all this ceremony came the race, but not before a panoramic tour of the circuit where some of the latest renovations could be seen, such as the enormous solar panels installed on the roofs of some of the grandstands and under the pits, an investment in electrical infrastructure that guarantees the supply of one-third of the energy needed for the annual operation of Montmeló.

When the pre-race lights went out, the traffic light went from red to green, and the race began, with no major changes except for Norris's poor start that allowed Verstappen to take second place. I imagined a fight for first place when I saw the reigning champion closing in on Piastri during the first two laps, but it was only an illusion. It took the McLaren driver just a few minutes to gain enough distance to enjoy the lead, which he only relinquished for a few moments during pit stops for tire changes.

As I said at the beginning, Verstappen had a fit of madness, perhaps helpless to see he couldn't fight in the final laps. His team fitted him with hard tires that were almost a second slower than those fitted to the papaya-colored cars. They didn't have any others, was the explanation given by his technical director. At the restart after a yellow flag that delayed an eternity with the safety car in front of the cars, Max tried to push the limit and skidded at the entrance to the main straight, at which point Leclerc took advantage to take the position cleanly from him. Verstappen, perhaps because he misjudged the situation, kept saying on the radio that the Ferrari No. 16 had blocked his path and that he should give it back; it was only in his imagination that this had happened. But it didn't end there. Russell's Mercedes came dangerously close, and he had almost passed him when Verstappen's Red Bull went off the track and came back in front. The Dutchman went completely mad when he was informed that he had to let the Mercedes pass. He blocked it and touched it as it was passing him, and for this he was given a 10-second penalty, going from third or fourth at most to tenth. Now the points gap with the two Maclarens is much greater.

And the race ended with Piastri winning, Norris second, and Leclerc third, who climbed onto the podium for the second consecutive race.

Everything seems to be heading towards a new drivers' champion, one of the two McLarens, and the constructors' champion, who will repeat last year's feat. We can't say much about the rest; most are struggling, and those who aren't have gone crazy.