An illusory truth is one that's held to be self-evident because it has been repeated so many times that it becomes unchallengeable. Is there any more dependable trope of this kind in Formula 1 than the magical Spanish Grand Prix upgrade package?

McLaren's promise that "the 2018 car is coming to Barcelona" has raised expectations of a transformative weekend for the struggling team, despite other attempts out of Woking to downplay expectations. But history shows the game-changing Spanish GP update is more myth than matter.

Spain's status as the race where the first big upgrade package of the season is deployed was cemented when Imola's San Marino GP dropped off the calendar after 2006. Since then, Barcelona has always been the first European race of the season. Turkey did slip in ahead of it in 2011, but that was held on the Asian side of Istanbul so that is disregarded.