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
The cars ignite into life as the grid clears, and the long run to Turn One is revealed to the drivers. It's one of the longest drags to the first corner on the calendar, and gives the perfect chance for those in second, third and even fourth to slipstream the leader and fight for the lead.
**FORMATION LAP UNDERWAY**
Hamilton leads the field away on the parade lap, and it won't take long to warm up the tyres.
As he has done previously this season, Hamilton is crawling around the formation lap, trying to preserve as much life in his tyres as possible. He leads the field round to the grid ... here we go ...
Lap 1: What a nightmare start for Bottas! Hamilton gets away supremely from pole, and Verstappen follows behind to drag his way past Bottas and move up to second. As they go side-by-side, Stroll appears on Bottas's inside and he takes third, and Bottas has to fight Perez off to prevent himself from slipping down to fifth!
Lap 2: Bottas is told to keep calm and focus, but in the distance he can see Hamilton disappearing out in front. That start has massively compromised his race.
Lap 4: Stroll is under attack from Bottas, who now has DRS to his aid, but Stroll positions his car well in the middle of the track that forces the Mercedes to remain behind ... for now.
Lap 5: This time Stroll does not fight it as Bottas has enough speed to pull alongside and clear the Racing Point before Turn One. That moves him up to third, but he's 3.7s back from Hamilton.
Lap 6: Verstappen is keeping pace with Hamilton, with the gap just 1.4s and their times almost matching. Red Bull radio in to their man to say the gap is coming down, but Verstappen believes Mercedes may be up to a few tricks.
"Yeah I know, but he is just driving super slow," Verstappen replies.
Lap 7: Why is Hamilton going slow? For two reasons: one is the fact that Mercedes can't afford to take too much life out of their tyres too early, and the other is that the slower Hamilton goes, the more be brings Bottas back into play to attack Verstappen. The gap between second and third is just 1.8s.
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