Warmer conditions were expected for the Spanish Grand Prix this year as the event is taking place three weeks later in the calendar than it did in 2024.
Formula 1’s official tyre supplier Pirelli even suggested the conditions would be hot enough that degradation will be high enough for teams to consider three-stop strategies in the race.However the present forecast is for conditions to be much like those the teams saw last year – and far cooler than the high seen in 2022, when ambient temperatures hit 37C during the grand prix.
Teams can expect a consistently sunny start to practice on Friday, when temperatures will peak at around 24C. The wind should be fairly light, no more than around 15kph, which will come as a relief as the exposed track features many medium and high-speed corners where cars are susceptible to sudden gusts.
Ambient temperatures may rise slightly on Saturday but conditions will begin to cloud over in the mid-afternoon. This may happen soon enough to affect qualifying, potentially presenting teams with a change in track temperatures in the final stages.
The cloud will bring slightly cooler temperatures and some rain with it on Sunday. This could last several hours and make life tricky for the Formula 2 and Formula 3 drivers in the pre-grand prix support races.
Conditions are expected to clear up in time for the main event. Although there is a low chance rain could persist until the early stages of the grand prix, any effect the rain has on the race is likely to be indirect.
The rain should wash any accumulated rubber from the surface, presenting drivers with a shift in track conditions they will have to adapt to. Air temperatures will be a few degrees lower, and the combination of cloud and cooling rain should make for considerably cooler asphalt.
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2024 Spanish Grand Prix
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Jere (@jerejj)
20th June 2024, 7:44
Last year’s edition had some rain, so I’m hoping for a fully dry event, although qualifying, most importantly, should be entirely dry, meaning zero impact on outright lap time prospect.
On a side note, I still don’t get the claims about 37C during the 2022 race, even though the true highest ambient on the 2022 edition race day was roughly 10 degrees lower, which FIA also showed on live timing & elsewhere using the championship’s official weather supplier, so 37 must’ve been just what temp felt like with direct sunshine, which tends to give imprecise readings.
MacLeod (@macleod)
20th June 2024, 7:53
There is only a (small) chance of rain on Sunday but it stays dry but the temperature should be very nice. (24-26C)
So the race should be straight forward a bit boring even….
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
20th June 2024, 8:14
Indeed, boring race anticipated. Hopefully Sunday morning rain can take some grip away, as F2, F3 and Academy will be more rubber than usual.
notagrumpyfan
20th June 2024, 10:00
Indeed, a dry race tends to be rather boring in Barcelona.
Rain would be very welcome, even for quali, as it better shows which drivers and teams are on top of their game.
And given the current droughts in many parts of Spain, most fans wouldn’t mind it either.
Jere (@jerejj)
21st June 2024, 6:45
Indeed a boring or relatively straightforward race unless strategies are variable like last year.
BasCB (@bascb)
20th June 2024, 7:55
I’m sure that during the whole race the commentary will keep looking at possible drops of rain to spice up a rather tedious race, only for rain to come down hard during the podium ceremony @Jerejj
Jere (@jerejj)
21st June 2024, 6:45
Possible, we’ll see.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
20th June 2024, 9:32
I just can’t believe how quickly time passes. 2024 flashed past and I didn’t even notice.
Jonathan Parkin
20th June 2024, 12:06
Indeed. Next week we’ll be halfway through the year
Jere (@jerejj)
21st June 2024, 6:46
@cairnsfella Good catch & I like how you used the opportunity for sarcasm.
An Sionnach
20th June 2024, 10:26
The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain (and not the car).
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
20th June 2024, 11:21
I love how the weather in Spain is so predictable that they can give this kind of detail well in advance, and it’s probably going to be correct.
Then we get to paces like Silverstone where even an hour or two before the sessions the experts are like,
“We haven’t a clue … anything might happen!” :)
An Sionnach
20th June 2024, 16:20
Perhaps they should get forecasters in Spain to simply do the forecast up in calendar form. Then, they can all come over and work in places where there’s more weather to forecast!
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
20th June 2024, 17:31
I like the way you think! ;)
Jere (@jerejj)
21st June 2024, 6:43
An Sionnach Everyone in F1 uses Meteo France for weather forecasts across the entire championship.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
20th June 2024, 17:41
Guessing that’s a good reason to drop this track, when it rains it’s good (1996), otherwise tends to be boring.