We have a mixed bag of ‘ones to watch’ for this weekend’s European Grand Prix, held around the Monaco-lite ex-dockyard access roads that form the Valencia street circuit.
This is Valencia’s third go at organising a grand prix and while there’s a lot of goodwill towards event and city, the track itself has been criticised for being, well, boring. It’s a noodly point-and-squirt job that offers drivers little opportunity to overtake. But that tight and unforgiving nature guarantee incidents and accidents, so place your bets now for how many times the safety car will appear.
Rubens Barrichello, Williams
An unlikely tip for the second-oldest man in Formula 1? Maybe, and in a mid-grid-at-best Williams FW32, Rubinho doesn’t enjoy the car advantage he had last year with the Brawn BGP001. But he’s an emotional soul, is Rubens, and the feel-good vibe of winning in 2009, his first victory for five years, will put a spring in his step as he heads out to qualify. If he can haul the car into a good Q3 position, he’ll be a strong points contender.
Getty Images/Red Bull Photofiles
Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing
This year’s Monaco winner – and a dominant one at that – showed the effectiveness of the RB6-Renault combo at street circuits and Webber will be hoping to recapture that form in a car tuned to be good in slow corners as well as fast. Third on the leader-board with 103 points, ‘Team Webber’ need another strong result here to stay in the thick of the championship tussle. The aim will be to finish ahead of the two McLarens as much as taking victory outright.
Felipe Massa, Ferrari
Remember Felipe Massa? The little guy in the Ferrari who developed a knack for being quicker than his more famous team-mates (Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen)? Well he’s still in F1; still looking for the first win since that shocking near-fatal accident at last year’s Hungarian GP; still trying to find a way to be faster than a more-famous team-mate (Fernando Alonso) who’s a tougher nut to crack than either of the Ferrari partners he had before. Massa won here from pole in 2008 – the first Valencia street race – and posted fastest lap, too. That hat-trick set him up to come within a wafer-thin-mint of the world title. Now, with Ferrari strong in Canada and having brought a new bag of development tricks to this race, where better to show the world he has fully recovered?
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
On pole last year, leading this year’s championship, and on brilliant form after back-to-back wins in Turkey and Canada, Lewis Hamilton is among the firm favourites for Valencian victory. His excellent form aside, this is a track that should suit the fast-developing McLaren MP4-25, even if it’s not likely to be quite as dominant as it was in Montreal. Expect Lewis, and team-mate Jenson Button to figure very strongly here.
Getty Images/Red Bull Photofiles
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing
It was at this very race in 2008 that a certain young German, name of Vettel, showed in no uncertain terms what those in the know already knew: here was a superstar waiting to happen. He qualified sixth for Scuderia Toro Rosso, the fastest of the Red Bull quartet and finished in the same place. The result was the start of a terrific late-season run that peaked with his unforgettable win at Monza. 2010 has been awkward so far for Seb: despite starting the year as the man to beat, results haven’t gone his way. But a win here could take him to the top of the leaderboard.
Robert Kubica, Renault
Wherever there are walls around a circuit, Robert Kubica will be fastest. So say Formula 1 wise men. Actually, they don’t, but what they do say is that Robert Kubica, one of F1’s true rocket men, whatever the conditions, is particularly brilliant when tracks are tight and twisty. He has been fighty and feisty all season in the Renault R30 and was breathtakingly bold at Monaco. Expect more of the same here.
For more ahead of the grand prix head to RedBullRacing.com or check out our dedicated event page.
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