Spanish Grand Prix LIVE result: Latest reaction from F1 as Lewis Hamilton takes dominant victory
Follow the latest updates from the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona as Verstappen bids to make it two race wins in a row in an effort to challenge Hamilton’s championship dominance
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Your support makes all the difference.Follow the latest updates live from the Spanish Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton starts from pole position in his Formula One championship battle with Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen, who is bidding for his second consecutive victory.
It was Verstappen who dominated at Silverstone last weekend to take Red Bull’s first win of the season, and with Mercedes concerned that the tyre issues that struck them at the two British rounds will reappear in Barcelona, he is best placed to challenge Hamilton as he starts third on the grid behind Bottas.
Verstappen is Hamilton’s nearest challenger in the championship standings with a 30-point margin at the top of the table, and another Red Bull win would really open up the title battle. Behind Verstappen, the returning Sergio Perez leads a Racing Point one-two with Lance Stroll, with Alex Albon sixth and the two Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel disappointing once again in ninth and 11th. Follow the live updates below.
When is it?
The Spanish Grand Prix takes place across 14 - 16 August 2020.
How can I watch it?
All European races will be held behind closed doors, meaning that the only way fans will be able to see the action is on television.
In the UK, Sky Sports continue to hold the exclusive rights for F1, with Channel 4 only able to show the British Grand Prix live as they are restricted to highlights coverage the rest of the year.
If you’re not a Sky customer you can purchase a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
Here’s how Sky and Channel 4 plan to show the Spanish Grand Prix:
FRIDAY
Free practice 1: 10am – 11:50m BST – (Sky Sports F1)
Free practice 2: 1:45pm – 3:45pm BST (Sky Sports F1)
SATURDAY
Free practice 3: 10:45am – 12:10pm BST (Sky Sports F1)
Qualifying: 1pm – 3:30pm BST (Sky Sports F1)
SUNDAY
Race: 12:30pm – 5pm BST (Sky Sports F1) + 12:30pm - 4pm BST (Sky Sports Main Event)
Highlights: 6:30pm - 9pm BST (Channel 4), 8pm - 9pm BST (Sky Sports F1)
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What time does each session start?
FRIDAY
Free practice 1: 10am – 11:30pm BST
Free practice 2: 2pm – 3:30pm BST
SATURDAY
Free practice 3: 11am – 12pm BST
Qualifying: 2pm – 3pm BST
SUNDAY
Race: 2:10pm – 4:10pm BST
Driver changes
Sergio Perez is back in the Racing Point after missing the last two races due to coronavirus, meaning he returns to replace Nico Hulkenberg for the Spanish Grand Prix and beyond.
Grid
1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1min 15.584secs
2 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 1:15.643
3 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1:16.292
4 Sergio Perez (Mex) Racing Point 1:16.482
5 Lance Stroll (Can) Racing Point 1:16.589
6 Alexander Albon (Tha) Red Bull 1:17.029
7 Carlos Sainz (Spa) McLaren 1:17.044
8 Lando Norris (Gbr) McLaren 1:17.084
9 Charles Leclerc (Mon) Ferrari 1:17.087
10 Pierre Gasly (Fra) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:17.136
11 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:17.168
12 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia AlphaTauri 1:17.192
13 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Renault 1:17.198
14 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:17.386
15 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Renault 1:17.567
16 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 1:17.908
17 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 1:18.089
18 George Russell (Gbr) Williams 1:18.099
19 Nicholas Latifi (Can) Williams 1:18.532
20 Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Alfa Romeo Racing 1:18.697
Lap 8: Bottas isn't yet catching Verstappen, despite posting the fastest lap of the race, but Red Bull do have an ace up their sleeve. Albon is currently fighting with the Racing Points, and if he can clear Perez and Stroll, the pace out front is slow enough to catch the front three.
Lap 10 standings
1. Hamilton
2. Verstappen +1.4s
3. Bottas +3.6s
4. Stroll +8.7s
5. Perez +10.5s
6. Albon +11.6s
7. Sainz +14.6s
8. Gasly +15.9s
9. Leclerc +18.0s
10. Norris +21.3s
Lap 12: Hamilton puts in the fastest lap of the race and it's a bit more like it at a 1:23.0, giving himself a healthy gap of 2.8s to Verstappen. What can Max do in response? Not a lot, it seems.
"The tyres don't feel very good..."
Lap 13: Hamilton is romping clear of Verstappen, taking another half a second out of the Red Bull, and he's also gapping Bottas nicely. This is working out well for Mercedes so far, but Red Bull could always look to push their hand and one-stop.
Lap 14: Another lap, another increase as Verstappen drops 4.1s off the leader. This is unravelling fast for Red Bull.
Lap 17: Verstappen is really struggling with his tyres, and in particular the rear tyres, and Red Bull have bowed and are pitting him - nope it's a bluff! It's Albon and he's going on the hard tyres.
Lap 18: Verstappen now says his tyres are dead, but Red Bull don't want to pit him until he's clear of the Racing Points. With the gap only 20 seconds, it would be too close for comfort to stop him now.
Lap 19: Hamilton has the gap out to 6.2s, while Verstappen is getting frustrated as he's told a tail-wind into Turn Seven is increasing.
"I don't care about the f****** tail wind, the tyres have nothing left."
Lap 21: A fuming Verstappen finally comes into the pits and goes onto the medium tyres - not the hards that would enable him to do a definite one-stopper - and a stunning 1.9s stop from the Red Bull boys gets Verstappen out in front of the Racing Points.
Gasly, Norris and Kvyat all pit together from eighth, ninth and 12th.
Lap 23: Hamilton gets the call to box and push, and he's going to mirror Verstappen and put on the mediums. Bottas pits as well! It's a slow stop for Hamilton with a delay on the rear, with a 4.3s much slower than Verstappen's, while Bottas has to wait and clocks a 3.1s stop. Hamilton gets out back in the lead, but Bottas is way behind Verstappen and the Red Bull returns to second.
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