Spanish Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton quickest in final practice session before qualifying as Valtteri Bottas spins

Bottas, who leads Hamilton in the championship by one point, ended up in the gravel after spinning at Turn 5

Lewis Hamilton put down a marker ahead of qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix by going fastest in final practice.

The world champion did not have the pace to match Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas here at the Circuit de Catalunya yesterday.

But in the final running before the shootout for pole, he finished more than half-a-second clear of anyone else.

Bottas, who leads Hamilton in the championship by one point, ended up in the gravel after spinning at Turn 5.

“I am f****** stuck,” said the Finn, unable to return to the circuit. The session was red-flagged as his Mercedes was recovered.

Bottas finished third, 0.555 seconds slower than Hamilton. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc placed second, with Sebastian Vettel fourth. Like Bottas, Vettel also spun, this time at the final chicane.

The one-hour running ended prematurely after British novice George Russell lost control of his Williams.

Russell slid off the road at the right-handed fourth bend before sliding backwards across the gravel and into the barriers.

The Englishman, 21, suffered only damage to his pride – his Williams was towed back to the pits on a truck.

Haas continued their fine form this weekend after Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen finished fifth and sixth ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

British teenager Lando Norris was 18th of the 20 runners on what has been a difficult weekend so far for the McLaren rookie.

PA