Good qualifying session for Hamilton, putting him on pole ahead of his teammate … but can he make a good start this time?
Grid: HAM, ROS, RIC, VES, RAI, VET, BOT, SAI, PER, ALO, HUL, BUT, KVY, GRO, MAG, GUT, PAL, MAS, ERI, NAS, WEH, HAR
Track temperature 40°C
Looks like everyone’s starting on soft compounds – almost; HAR on mediums
HAM leads the formation lap away
Long wait for HAM as the grid reforms
01/66: HAM leads off the grid but ROS pips him into Turn 1
HAM on the grass, spins, takes out his teammate too! Both Mercedes in the gravel trap
Safety Car deployed
Replay shows HAM closing on ROS, but when ROS closes the door it pushes HAM onto the grass
As ROS brakes for the next turn, HAM is unable to slow his car
02[SC]: Safety Car picks up RIC
RIC, VES, SAI, VET, RAI, BOT, PER, BUT, ALO, GRO, KVY, HUL, MAG, GUT, PAL, NAS, ERI, WEH, MAS, HAR
03[SC]: SC in at the end of this lap
04: Race control – incident involving cars 7 (RAI) and 44 (HAM) will be investigated after the race – I think they mean ROS not RAI
Correction – ROS not RAI
{Aargh! PVR has to be rebooted}
08: RIC, VES, VET, SAI, RAI, BOT, PER, BUT, ALO, GRO, HUL
Radio for KVY – let HUL and MAG pass because you passed them under the safety car
09: RAI attacking SAI into Turn 1 but RAI cuts the corner
MAS pits
10/66: RAI takes P4
PER pits, as does ERI
12: RIC pits from P1; rejoins behind GRO
ALO pits too
13: VES pits, as do RAI and BOT
14: ALO trying to catch BUT
15/66: VET has a 16sec lead over RIC but are they on different pit stop strategies?
16: VET pits – is that an early 2-stop or a late 3-stop?
17: MAS closing on ALO
20/66: RIC, VES, VET, RAI, BOT, SAI, PER, BUT, ALO, MAS, GRO, HUL, MAG, KVY, ERI, GUT, PAL, NAS, HAR, WEH; retirements: ROS, HAM
VET closing to within DRS zone behind VES
22: HUL pulls off track with flames coming from the rear of the Force India
23: GUT inside MAG for P12
25/66: RIC, VES, VET, RAI, BOT, SAI, PER, BUT, ALO, MAS, GRO, GUT, MAG, KVY, ERI, PAL, NAS, WEH, HAR
26: MAS pits
29: RIC pits from P1, so it is a 3-stop; soft tyres; rejoins ahead of BOT
30/66: VES completes a lap in P1, making him the youngest driver to lead a race
VET pits from P2; softs; also rejoins ahead of BOT
31: RIC fastest lap 1:28.974
32: VET f/lap 1:28.137
VES has left it too late to respond to VET’s pit stop, so presumably he’s now on a 2-stopper
34: Small contact between the two Haas cars as GUT passes his teammate
35/66: VES pits; mediums; can he go to the end?
36: RAI pits; mediums; rejoins P4
37: Ferrari team ready for VET but he doesn’t come in
GRO locks up, runs wide in Turn 7
38: VET pits from P2; mediums; he’d only done 8 laps on the softs – did he have a puncture?
39: Why is PAL getting blue flags when RIC is so far behind him?
40/66: RIC, VES, RAI, VET, BOT, MAS, SAI, PER, GUT, KVY, BUT, MAG, ERI, PAL, NAS, WEH
BOT pits
44: RIC pits from P1; mediums
NAS attacks teammate ERI, NAS runs wide to avoid collision
45/66: VES, RAI, VET, RIC, BOT, SAI, PER, GUT, KVY, MAS, BUT, ALO, MAG, PAL, NAS, ERI, GRO, WEH, HAR; retirements: HUL, HAM, ROS
46: VES has a 1.5sec lead over RAI, on similar age medium tyres
47: ALO has parked the McLaren on the grass
Radio from ALO – “no power, no power”
49: RAI has closed VES’ lead to 0.9sec
51: Radio from ERI complaining his teammate is “dangerous”
RAI harrying VES
53: VES keeping RAI at bay; 18 year old versus multiple world champion
54: RIC is under 1sec behind VET so he’ll have DRS to help his attack
56: VES still has a 0.6sec gap but VET looking for a gap
RIC is right on the tail of RAI, but KVY is all over the rear of RIC trying to unlap himself in P11
59: RIC dives inside VET into Turn 1; RIC runs a little wide, letting VET reclaim P3
GRO into the pits and retires
60/66: VES, RAI, VET, RIC, BOT, SAI, PER, MAS, GUT, BUT, KVY, PAL, ERI, NAS, MAG, WEH, HAR; retirements: GRO, ALO, HUL, HAM, ROS
61: RIC has another look into Turn 1 but VET closes the door
RAI still under 1sec behind VES but doesn’t seem to be attacking
62: BUT passes GUT for P9
63: VET runs a little wide – has this given RIC a chance?
GUT messes it for RIC up by taking the racing line 🙁
64: RIC still takes a look into Turn 1 but VET has is covered
65: RAI over 1sec behind VES so no DRS this time
KVY thinking about trying to pass RIC
RIC has a rear left puncture!
66 = final lap: RIC pits from P4; rejoins P5
VES takes the chequered flag – youngest F1 winner ever! (Taking VET’s record)
Provisional result: VES, RAI, VET, RIC, BOT, SAI, PER, MAS, BUT, KVY; GUT, ERI, PAL, MAG, NAS, WEH, HAR
DNF: GRO, ALO, HUL, HAM, ROS
I’m sure someone had to go digging to find the Dutch national anthem for the podium 🙂
Will there be a podium when the winner is too young to drink the champagne?
Placido Domingo is obviously not an F1 fan – a bit clueless doing the interviews
RIC: not happy with pit strategy
I haven’t seen official confirmation yet, but a tweet from Mercedes says: “Stewards rule no further action taken against @LewisHamilton and @nico_rosberg after collision considered a racing incident #F1 #SpanishGP”.
Watch the HAM/ROS incident [FIA]
Toto Wolff Q&A: Neither Hamilton nor Rosberg directly to blame [FIA]
“Kevin Magnussen has been handed a 10-second post-race time penalty after stewards deemed he caused a collision with Renault team mate Jolyon Palmer during Sunday’s Grand Prix at Barcelona.” [FIA]
“As it happened on the final lap, the Dane had 10 seconds added on to his race time, dropping him from 14th to 15th in the final results, behind Sauber’s Felipe Nasr.”
“In addition Magnussen was given two penalty points on his licence – his first two of the maximum 12 permitted.”