F1 Spain GP preview: Ferrari hopes tyre wear and new rules will play in their favour. Ferrari heads to the Spanish GP with a new front wing and tyre wear as potential allies.

A new technical directive arrives in Spain, aiming to shake up F1, but Ferrari could also find another important ally in the tyres. The focus will be entirely on the front wings of the teams, especially McLaren. On paper, the Woking-based team is the one most at risk, but it’s also true that engineers have known about the new regulation for months. The truth will only emerge on Sunday.

Following Imola and Monte Carlo, the final stage of the opening European triple-header arrives. Barcelona is the most classic of circuits – it’s often said that if a car is fast here, it will be fast everywhere – with its fast corners and slower, more technical sections. McLaren enters as the favourite, having shown even in Monaco that it has the most complete and balanced package on the grid.

But Spain brings with it two crucial factors for race management. On one side, there is the heat, typical of the Catalan track and the first real encounter with the summer core of the season. On the other, there’s the layout of the circuit: the fast corners put stress on the tyres, which are subject to heavy wear also due to the high abrasiveness of the asphalt. In short, race pace will be key.

Ferrari in Barcelona at a crossroads: world championship comeback or focus on 2026?
From the Pirelli preview released ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, some important insights emerge: “The forces exerted on the tyres are medium to high, as they are stressed by several fast corners, such as turn three and the last two, both right-handers. The most stressed corner is the front-left, given the higher number of right-hand bends.” For these reasons, the supplier has chosen the hardest compound trio.

Reflecting on 2024, it’s easy to predict a two-stop strategy: “A double pit stop is practically mandatory at Montmeló, and last year’s race was no exception. All drivers on the grid started on Softs for the first stint, with the only exception being Albon (Medium), who started from the pit lane. The three drivers who reached the podium crossed the finish line on a second set of Softs.”

Ferrari can count on a potential technical leap – with the new front wing – but also on its race pace. On several occasions this year, the SF-25 has shown it can manage tyres well, especially in the second half of races. Qualifying will once again be crucial: starting from the front rows would allow the Maranello duo to set up the Grand Prix more comfortably.

Grand Prix and beyond: Pirelli testing also takes place in Spain
The work of some teams in Barcelona won’t end at the chequered flag. In preparation for the 2026 season, Pirelli has chosen the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to test its tyre range for next year’s championship for the third time.

“Although the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is no longer the most used venue for team testing,” reads the Italian company’s press release, “it remains a very important proving ground. Pirelli has chosen to test here for the third time to develop the tyre range for next season: the sessions are scheduled for Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 June, with Mercedes drivers (both days), Racing Bulls (Tuesday), and Red Bull (Wednesday) taking part.”