F1 Spanish Grand Prix: Can the Home Heroes Realistically Deliver?

Formula One returns to the Madrid region for the first time since 1981. It's the second race in Spain this year, and it's a meaningful one for two particular drivers on the grid: Carlos Sainz Jr and Fernando Alonso. 

Born in Madrid, Sainz has been hands-on in bringing the championship back to his hometown. While he hasn't raced in the new Madring circuit before (as everyone else on the grid), the Williams driver expects the weekend to be "fun but intense."

On the other hand, Alonso isn't exactly from Madrid, but he is still racing in his home country. The two-time World Champion has won in Spain thrice, first in 2006 for Renault, and then twice in 2012 and 2013 for Ferrari. 

That 2013 victory was also Alonso's 32nd and final F1 victory of his career. But of course, the F1 community is hoping that the count doesn't stop there for the 45-year-old driver.

Now, we move to the present. While it's difficult to imagine both drivers fighting for points in their current cars, what does it mean for both Sainz and Alonso to exceed expectations at Madrid? 

No one on the grid has raced firsthand in this circuit. Save for the data they'll get from the three practice sessions and Saturday's qualifying, no team knows what the conditions will look like in race trim on Sunday. 

This could be a good opportunity for Sainz and Williams to sneak up on the front-running teams and snatch a point or two. Both Sainz and his teammate Alex Albon haven't scored a point in seven races. For Sainz, his last points finish was back in May, when he crossed the checkered flag ninth in the Canadian Grand Prix.

But even if Sainz doesn't score, the home crowd just wants to see him fighting out there. 

Sainz's realistic shot at exceeding expectations: A Q2 appearance on Saturday

Alonso has suffered five DNFs this season, with his teammate Lance Stroll taking eight. Despite their recent upgrades, the Aston Martin car is just too unreliable at this point. I imagine the team looking forward to finishing this season, moving on from the AMR26, and fully working on their 2027 challenger.

That's why everyone in the grandstand just wants the seasoned Spaniard driver to cross the checkered flag on Sunday. It's a challenging proposition, especially in setting up a car's reliability on a new track. But if there's one who can whisper to their car to perform better, it's Alonso.

Alonso's realistic shot at exceeding expectations: Cross the checkered flag on Sunday