Karun Chandhok backs McLaren to return to Miami form and challenge Mercedes in Barcelona

Karun Chandhok believes McLaren’s front wing changes could help it return to the fight with Mercedes for pole position in Barcelona

Former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports pundit Karun Chandhok believes McLaren's recent front wing modifications will allow it to resume its battle with Mercedes for pole position in Barcelona.

While McLaren proved to be Mercedes' closest challenger at the Miami Grand Prix in May, the Woking outfit was unable to threaten the current championship leader at the following two races in Canada and Monaco.

But Chandhok expects the track characteristics and aerodynamic upgrade to help bring McLaren back to the front of the grid in Spain.

"We have to see what happens when we get to qualifying. But at no point in Montreal or Monaco did McLaren look like they were going to challenge for pole whereas in Miami they were right there," Chandhok said during the Sky Sports F1 broadcast after the first two practice sessions ahead of the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

"They modified the front wing from Canada and that has hopefully delivered some performance. We are going to see a more Miami-esque weekend where it's McLaren vs Mercedes. I hope McLaren carry this form into qualifying."

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images

Mercedes' George Russell topped the timesheets in the first practice session and was followed by McLaren's Oscar Piastri with the second-fastest time. In free practice two, McLaren's Lando Norris went fastest and was followed by Russell and Piastri.

Heading into the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, Mercedes leads the constructors' championship after winning every grand prix so far this season. The Brackley outfit is followed by Ferrari in second and McLaren in third.

Piastri and Norris are fifth and sixth in the drivers' championship, with both on 58 points. Russell's Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' standings with 156 points, after becoming the youngest driver to do so following his win in Japan, and is followed by Lewis Hamilton, Russell and Charles Leclerc.