Spain Preview Quotes: Michelin

Pierre Dupasquier, motorsport director: "It is vital to have a well-sorted chassis in Barcelona and getting the set-up right can be something of a delicate exercise. The circuit features a very long main straight and also has a number of fast, testing corners that place a great strain on tyres - an issue compounded by the nature of the track surface, which is very abrasive.

"Aerodynamic balance plays a key role because there are several quick corners that demand a high level of downforce. At the same time, however, teams have to make sure they don't run too much wing because they don't want to compromise top-end speed on the main straight, which is one of the longest in the championship. Finally, the lap-time penalty for a heavy fuel load at this track equates to about 0.4 seconds per 10 kilos."

Pascal Vasselon, F1 project manager: "We carried out an enormous amount of research and development work in Barcelona last winter. Following the most recent series of tests, our five partner teams have chosen four dry-weather tyre options for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix. They feature the same method of construction but the compounds are different and have not previously been used during a race weekend. Pit stops in Barcelona take about 30 to 33 seconds, which is about average for the season as a whole. As was the case in Imola, some teams might opt to run a two-stop strategy - but three will be an equally valid race option."