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Barcelona (AP) - Only eight points separate world champion Lewis Hamilton and challenger Max Verstappen after the first three races in Formula 1.

The next edition of the thrilling duel is expected at the Spanish Grand Prix at the gates of Barcelona on Sunday (3 p.m. / Sky).

Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher start again in front of empty ranks with rather modest goals.

Is Lewis Hamilton catching up with Michael Schumacher in Spain?

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Defending champion Lewis Hamilton has already won five times in Barcelona, ​​most recently four times in a row.

Only Michael Schumacher was even better with a total of six successes.

Since the reintroduction of turbo engines in 2014, Mercedes has been particularly dominant on the undulating course.

Only one other driver has been able to win at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since then: Max Verstappen.

In 2016, at just 18 years and 228 days in his Red Bull, the Dutchman sensationally became the youngest winner in the motorsport premier class.

Can Max Verstappen annoy Mercedes again?

At least that's the 23-year-old's plan.

Verstappen is already doing his 100th race for Red Bull this weekend. «It happened so quickly.

I didn't even know that there were already that many, ”said the eleven-time Grand Prix winner.

In Imola he celebrated his only success so far in the relatively young season.

Hamilton won the races in Bahrain and Portugal and is just ahead of his ambitious challenger in the overall standings.

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Are there finally World Cup points for Sebastian Vettel?

Twice in 15th place and once in 13th place - the season balance for Hessen Vettel does not look like the four-time world champion had imagined.

After moving from Ferrari to Aston Martin, the 33-year-old is still unable to cope with his new company car.

In Spain, a few technical innovations on the AMR-21 could provide a little improvement.

“We all know that it can be difficult to overtake on Sundays in Barcelona.

We have to optimize our options where we can, ”said Vettel.

Will Mick Schumacher continue to move forward?

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His first real overtaking maneuver gives Mick Schumacher a good feeling.

In his losing car, the 22-year-old overtook Nicholas Latifi in the Williams in Portugal.

The Formula 2 champion also has his Russian team-mate Nikita Masepin under control, but it shouldn't be enough for much more at first.

Schumacher makes no mistakes and brought his car safely to the finish line three times.

But he also needs a lot of luck to get World Championship points, because the US racing team's car is currently not in a position to make much further progress on its own.

When will fans finally come to the Formula 1 racetrack again?

Not in Barcelona yet.

The Grand Prix will take place behind closed doors again, as the corona pandemic does not allow anything else.

The return of ex-world champion Fernando Alonso at Alpine and the first year of Carlos Sainz at Ferrari would have guaranteed that the Spanish fans would come en masse.

In two weeks' time, spectators will be back at the following classic race in Monaco.

The government of the principality announced on Tuesday that 7,500 visitors are allowed for the World Cup run.

The viewers have to show a negative corona test.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210505-99-483399 / 2

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