Max Verstappen will need another famous performance at the venue of his first Formula One win as he looks to strike back against Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The Dutchman took the first of his 11 career victories in Barcelona as an 18-year-old back in 2016, becoming the youngest race winner in F1 history.
But Hamilton, who leads the drivers' championship by eight points, loves this circuit too and has won the four editions to be held since.
World champion Hamilton will be thrilled to arrive in Catalunya with an advantage, having won the season opener in Bahrain and battled back to a heroic P2 after crashing at Imola before winning in Portugal.
Those three results have come despite Mercedes starting the 2021 season at pace disadvantage to Red Bull, who are looking to hit back before the calendar moves to Monaco, where Mercedes often thrive.
LAST TIME OUT
An excellent start to the 2021 season continued for Hamilton as he produced a masterful display to win the Portuguese Grand Prix.
Hamilton started from second, behind team-mate Valtteri Bottas in pole, but produced another inspired performance.
The Briton initially trailed Bottas, who caught his colleague cold and pushed further clear coming out of a safety car while Verstappen got ahead of the seven-time champion too.
But Hamilton passed Verstappen and then Bottas to claim the lead and remained in the driving seat during a tactical battle.
The Red Bull driver ultimately took second ahead of the Finn, who did at least claim the extra point for fastest lap.
Sergio Perez was fourth, his best finish for Red Bull, while Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc rounded out the top six.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN CATALUNYA
After they battled in Portugal, Hamilton and Verstappen both said they trust each other to race wheel-to-wheel in "super-hard but fair" fights for position, with the drivers emphasising the respect they have for one another.
It is a thrilling title scrap between the established frontrunner and the leader of the next generation that should take some time to settle given how close the two cars are for pace.
Indeed, Hamilton said the two would soon become "sick of the sight of each other" over a long season where 23 races are scheduled.
The second drivers on each team, Bottas and Perez, will need to mix it with the top two quickly or they risk becoming an afterthought in the drivers' standings even before the season has truly got going.
There were signs of fight in Portugal as Bottas took pole while Perez led the race for a period after the leaders had pitted, becoming the first man for over a decade to have led a grand prix for four different teams.
Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz will battle for Spanish superiority on Sunday in cars with similar pace levels, with both having scored points in two out of three races so far.
TOP FIVE OPTA STATS
The joy of six? - Hamilton is one win away from equalling Michael Schumacher as the driver to have recorded most wins in Catalunya (six). If he does it, the Mercedes star will lead the win rankings in 16 of the 32 tracks he has raced on during his illustrious career.
Super streak - Hamilton has won five out of his last seven races in Barcelona (four from pole), including the last four from 2017 to 2020. If he wins here, the Briton will surpass Schumacher (2001–2004) as the driver to have recorded the most consecutive wins at the circuit.
Famous 50 - Bottas equalled David Coulthard with his 49th podium in Portugal and could reach 50 at the Spanish GP. Only one other driver in F1 history has had more podiums without winning the world title - Rubens Barrichello (57).
Sainz leads Spanish charge - The Ferrari driver has earned 34 points at this race, more than at any other grand prix. However, sixth place is his best finish here. A Spanish driver has earned points in each of the last 12 Spanish GPs since 2009, although one has not reached the podium since Fernando Alonso in 2013 (his last F1 win).
Norris on the button – The Briton has scored points in eight straight grands prix, the best run in his F1 career. That run has included four straight top-five finishes - he is the first McLaren driver to do that since Jenson Button in 2012.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) – 69
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – 61
3. Lando Norris (McLaren) – 37
4. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) – 32
5. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) – 28
Constructors
1. Mercedes – 101
2. Red Bull – 83
3. McLaren – 53
4. Ferrari – 42
5. Alpine – 13
West Ham 2-2 Liverpool: Antonio header damages Reds' dwindling title chances
Liverpool suffered another blow to their dwindling Premier League title hopes as Michail Antonio's late header snatched a 2-2 draw for West Ham at London Stadium.
Jurgen Klopp's side disappointed in Wednesday's 2-0 defeat against Everton, with Jarrod Bowen's goal and assist inflicting further pain for the Reds on Saturday.
Liverpool responded well to Bowen's first-half opener, edging ahead through Alphonse Areola's own goal after Andy Robertson's 48th-minute leveller, only for Bowen to tee up Antonio's headed equaliser 13 minutes from time.
This draw left Liverpool two points behind leaders Arsenal ahead of the Gunners’ Sunday meeting with Tottenham and one behind Manchester City – who have two games in hand on the Reds – while West Ham remain eighth.
A tepid opening befitted two sides struggling for form as both failed to carve out any gilt-edged opportunities.
Liverpool wanted a 27th-minute penalty for Angelo Ogbonna's tackle on Cody Gakpo and, though an offside call against Luis Diaz silenced those appeals, that passage livened the game up.
Harvey Elliott's curling attempt was held by Areola after Vladimir Coufal went close at the other end, before Diaz blasted a low strike against the West Ham goalkeeper's right-hand post.
Bowen saw a deflected drive parried behind by Alisson but the West Ham forward headed Mohammed Kudus' left-wing delivery into the far corner from the resulting set-piece two minutes before the break.
Ryan Gravenberch flashed a powerful half-volley over immediately after the interval – and West Ham did not heed that warning sign.
Diaz cut inside from the left to find Robertson before a slight deflection off Lucas Paqueta saw Areola caught off-guard as the left-back found the bottom-left corner via the post.
Gravenberch arrowed narrowly wide before one-way traffic finally paid dividends midway through the second half when Gakpo's miscued strike from Trent Alexander-Arnold's corner forced Areola to turn into his own net after a deflection off Tomas Soucek.
Alisson kept his side ahead with a remarkable stretching stop to thwart Emerson's volley, yet the Liverpool goalkeeper was powerless when Antonio headed into the top-right corner from Bowen's right-wing centre.
Elliott almost snatched all three points in the 89th minute but his dipping effort found the top of the crossbar rather than the right-hand corner from long range.
Reds falter once again
Under Klopp, Liverpool have only won more Premier League games against Crystal Palace (13) than West Ham (12).
Yet the visiting Reds faltered once more as what appeared to be a promising season continues to unravel in disappointing fashion for Klopp's final campaign.
Having threatened an unlikely quadruple at the start of March, Liverpool now require a minor miracle – and slip-ups from Man City and Arsenal – to muster a slight shot at the title.
Bowen on target but West Ham struggle at home
Bowen had already found the net in the Premier League and EFL Cup against Liverpool this season and became just the second West Ham player to score in three different games with the Reds in a single campaign – after Geoff Hurst in 1964-65.
His well-taken headed opener eased the nervous home crowd, yet this draw left West Ham with just one win from their last nine Premier League home games.
That concerning home form may be what costs David Moyes’ side a higher finish. The Hammers trail seventh-placed Newcastle United by a point, despite the Magpies playing two games fewer.
Swiatek soars into Madrid Open last 16 after dropping just two games against Cirstea
Iga Swiatek stormed through to the Madrid Open last 16 following a dominant straight-sets victory over Sorana Cirstea.
The world number one dropped just two games as she inflicted a comprehensive 6-1 6-1 rout on her Romanian opponent in the Spanish capital.
Swiatek, who was runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka in last year's event, will play Sara Sorribes Tormo in the round of 16 after the Spaniard defeated two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.
The Pole is now 26-4 for the season, in which she has already triumphed at the Qatar Open and Indian Wells Open, as she eyes the ninth WTA 1000 singles title of her career.
Data debrief
Swiatek is through to her sixth round of 16 from seven main-draw appearances in WTA 1000 events on clay (85.7 per cent) - the highest percentage rate among players with at least five such appearances since the format's introduction in 2009.
The three-time French Open champion also boasts the best WTA match win rate of any player since 2000 on clay (87 per cent). Overall, only Chris Evert (94.5 per cent), Margaret Court (89.5 per cent) and Steffi Graf (89.2 per cent) boast a higher percentage in the Open Era.
Ancelotti salutes Madrid's 'commitment and desire' following Sociedad victory
Carlo Ancelotti hailed Real Madrid's commitment and desire as they edged closer to securing the LaLiga title with a 1-0 victory at Real Sociedad.
Arda Guler scored the only goal as Los Blancos extended their lead to 14 points over second-placed Barcelona, who host Valencia in their game in hand on Monday.
The 19-year-old was making his first start since arriving from Fenerbahce, as Ancelotti rotated his squad ahead of Madrid's Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.
And the Italian was pleased by the character demonstrated by his players, who stretched their winning streak to six league matches.
"It was clear that everyone thought we were coming here for a walk," he told reporters. "The only ones who didn't think so were the players. They had commitment and attitude. They had the desire and enthusiasm to keep winning.
"We have a spectacular squad. They have this attitude that they feel like they have to win every game. There are four points left to clinch the LaLiga title, and we are very close."
Guler added on Realmadrid TV: "This is the best club in the world and scoring is one of the best feelings.
"This is Real Madrid, the quality of the players is incredible. We're all always ready to play, and I think we've shown that here. I'm waiting patiently, and I'm still working hard every day."
Ancelotti's rotation meant a first start in eight months for Eder Militao, who marked his return from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee with a clean sheet.
"I've come back to play 90 minutes and I feel like a player again after many months out," the defender said.
"We have to keep winning, we know that nothing is won yet. We have a big advantage, but we have to keep doing a serious job until the end."
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