by Russell Atkins


The Spanish Grand Prix this weekend not only marks the fourth round of the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship, it is also the return of the circus to European soil following the opening three flyaway races – and the question is, can anyone catch Ferrari?

The championship standings may see the top five drivers – Kimi Raikkonen, Nick Heidfeld, Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen and Robert Kubica – separated by just five points, and a scant three between BMW-Sauber, Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes in the constructors' title chase, but that disguises the real picture – one of scarlet superiority.

Whilst Hamilton and McLaren were the combo to beat Down Under as Ferrari languished all at sea, once the Scuderia had got its act together in time for Malaysia it proved nigh-on unstoppable. Indeed, but for Felipe Massa's mid-race error in Sepang when the Brazilian spun away second place, the men from Maranello would have been looking at two successive one-two demonstrations.

The main focus in Barcelona, therefore, will be to see whether Massa's re-found confidence following his desert triumph in Sakhir just under three weeks ago has been maintained, and whether he can take the fight to team-mate Raikkonen on a consistent basis.

For McLaren, the weekend will provide the opportunity to assess whether the gap separating the Silver Arrows from their chief rivals has been reduced at a circuit that has traditionally been kind to the Woking-based outfit. Hamilton is in need of a win to get his title ambitions back on-track, whilst team-mate Kovalainen is bidding to add to his sole rostrum finish for the squad to-date, achieved in the Malaysian heat.

BMW, meanwhile, are very much F1's coming force, with a podium in every race of the 2008 season so far, as well as a fastest lap for Heidfeld in Sepang and pole position for Kubica a fortnight later in Sakhir. Just how much progress they have made over the intervening weeks will be fascinating to see, with Ferrari tipping Kubica as a potential challenger for the crown and McLaren conversely insisting such a performance cannot be sustained. BMW themselves are keeping relatively quiet, clearly intent on doing their talking on the track.

Behind the 'big three', against all pre-season expectations Toyota are increasingly marking themselves out as the best-of-the-rest, following Jarno Trulli's stellar performances in Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain. Once Timo Glock gets fully into the groove as well, the big budget Japanese concern will have two drivers capable of regularly fighting for points, which could just put fourth position in the title chase beyond the reach of Williams and Renault et al.

Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber recently claimed that in his view Williams and Renault are in fact racing with one arm tied behind their back this year [see separate story – click here], the outspoken Aussie suggesting that neither Kazuki Nakajima nor Nelsinho Piquet – rookies both – are able to perform consistently at the highest level like their respective team-mates Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso are.

Indeed, it looks set to be a close scrap between the three teams season-long, with Renault promising Alonso a heavily-upgraded R28 for his home outing – a race he won back in 2006, to a rapturous reception from his partisan supporters – Williams aiming to fight back after dropping off the pace in the wake of Rosberg's Australian podium success and RBR seeking to leapfrog both of them with its Adrian Newey-designed RB4 driven by a pair of experienced hands in the shape of Webber and David Coulthard.