WEEKEND WARM-UP: Verstappen on fire, Alonso on home soil and upgrades aplenty as F1 heads to Spain

It was another action-packed weekend in Monaco as Max Verstappen and Red Bull continued their winning run, Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin bagged their best result of the season so far and Esteban Ocon and Alpine gained plenty of plaudits for a fine podium finish. But how will the racing unfold in Spain?

Verstappen arrives in Barcelona looking to put further ground between himself and team mate Sergio Perez in the drivers’ standings, having mastered the streets of Monte Carlo while the Mexican crashed out in qualifying, with the gap between the pair now standing at 39 points.

NEED TO KNOW: The most important facts, stats and trivia ahead of the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix

But could Red Bull face stronger competition this time out? Alonso is one man who will be hoping so, as he looks to build on his P2 finish last weekend on home soil, and the scene of his most recent F1 win with Ferrari some 10 years ago.

There is also plenty of intrigue over Mercedes’ Monaco upgrades, which should be in for a more representative test at the now chicane-less Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where Ferrari have unveiled a major update package of their own. And can Alpine continue their recent momentum to appear at the sharp end again?

Click on the video player at the top of the page to join Laura Winter and Will Buxton as they tackle all the aforementioned points and more ahead of the race weekend...