Max Verstappen will be out to quash any hopes that his Red Bull could be beatable at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, where the three-time world champion enjoyed his breakout as a teenager and has won for the past two years.
The race just north of Barcelona kicks off a run of three grand prix in as many weeks and five in six weeks. Given that tight schedule, teams will have less time to tweak their cars. So, the upgrades they bring to Spain could be key to determining who has the edge as the summer heats up.
Verstappen has won six of the nine races this season and recorded his 60th career win in Montreal two weeks ago. Overall, the 26-year-old Dutchman has won 50 of the last 75 events and holds a 56-point over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc going into Sunday's race.
While some races have practically been over once Verstappen sped off the starting line, there have been signs that his chasers could at least make this season a bit more interesting.
Both Mercedes and McLaren led the pace during stretches of the Canadian GP before Verstappen steered clear.
And, two of the last four races have gone to other drivers: McLaren's Lando Norris won in Miami after Verstappen clipped a chicane and had to pit, while Leclerc won in his home race in Monaco.
Spain, however, usually lets the flat-out fastest cars dominate. Twenty-four of 33 races here have been won by pole sitters, and no driver has won from starting further back than fifth. It is also well known to drivers because pre-season testing used to be held here.
The 4.6-kilometre Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit was made even fitter for speed last year when a chicane that was unpopular among drivers was replaced by two fast turns head of the main straightaway.
"I think it's always very tricky, in a way of course exciting," Verstappen said about the state of the competition before practice started for the race on Friday.
"This is normally a track that is a bit more straightforward. People have a bit more information about a track like this, it's been on the calendar for a while. Of course, from our side, we are hoping to have a good weekend here."
Verstappen has fond memories of a track where he showed the stuff of a future champion by winning the 2016 Spanish GP on his Red Bull debut. That made him F1's youngest race winner at age 18. He also scored wins here in the last two seasons.
Norris lamented not having taken his chance to get a second win in Canada. Now, he hopes McLaren can match the Red Bulls for pure speed.
"The whole season we've been strong, at every race," Norris continued. "If we can get the car performing like it has done in the past on high-speed circuits, then I'll be confident that we can. We should be able to fight."
For Mercedes' George Russell, who finished third in Montreal, a good result here should translate into better things to come.
"I think this is going to be a real test and if we can be fast this weekend, that bodes really well for the season," Russell said.
Ferrari is looking to bounce back from a frustrating weekend in Canada when both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz struggled in qualifying and neither could finish the race.
