We’re set for an exciting F1 Spanish GP at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with only 18 drivers on the starting grid for today’s race, full report and results below.
Lance Stroll will not take part in today’s race following medical advice, whilst Yuki Tsunoda is starting from the pit lane due to a suspension change.
All drivers are starting on the soft compound tyre, despite Tsunoda, who is starting on the mediums.
Lining up P1-P10 are: Piastri, Norris, Verstappen, Russell, Hamilton, Antonelli, Leclerc, Gasly, Hadjar, and Alonso.
Following them are: Albon, Bortoleto, Lawson, Bearman, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Sainz, Colopinto, and Tsunoda.
And the cars have hit the track for the formation lap!
Race start
Aannnnnd it’s lights out and away we go!
Piastri gets a fantastic start and leads the field, whilst Verstappen makes up a place to Norris and flies into second place.
Antonelli has to leave the track and returns to the race in the middle of the field.
Hamilton gets past Russelll and Leclerc manages to do the same a few corners after. The Ferrari’s sit in fourth and fifth respectively.
Verstappen stays behind Piastri in second place, just over a second behind the race leader. It’s likely that he’s trying to preserve his tyres at this stage.
Hulkenberg has been noted for leaving the track and gaining an advantage at the beginning of the race.
First pit-stop of the F1 Spanish GP on lap 7 of 66
Lap 7 and Albon has come into the pits for a front wing change following damage from the race start. He rejoins the race last, in P19.
Piastri is now around 3 seconds ahead of Verstappen, leading well out in front.
Leclerc is battling his teammate for P4, sticking closely behind Hamilton with DRS, but he can’t seem to make it stick.
Finally, Ferrari take to team radio to request the drivers to make a swap. Lap 10 and Hamilton lets Leclerc past, as the younger driver is much faster at this point in the race.
Hulkenberg and Sainz are next to pit, with the Williams’ drivers’ stop being around 10 seconds. They return to the track in P15 and P19 respectively.
Gasly pits next, changing from a set of softs, to another set of the same compound tyres.
Norris is gaining on Verstappen who has complained of having “no grip” compared to the McLaren drivers.
Lap 13 and Norris finally flies past Verstappen with DRS on the pit straight. Verstappen doesn’t put up a fight and falls back into P3.
Verstappen on lap 14 for an early stop and returns to the race in P8, sandwiched between the RB’s of Lawson and Hadjar.
Alonso goes wide at turn 5 and takes a trip through the gravel. He returns to the track without imminent damage.
With his change in tyre, Verstappen gets past Hadjar, and sets a new fastest lap.
Lap 17 and Hamilton has been asked to pit, whilst Leclerc carries on in P3.
He returns to the track with a new set of medium tyres in P9, with the team claiming this will protect him from the undercut.
His teammate is next to stop, returning to the track P7.
Verstappen returns to P3
Lap 19 and Verstappen has managed to return to his starting position, in P3, but he’s still around 15 seconds behind Norris, and 20 behind Piastri in first.
Russell, Ocon, and Norris pit around lap 21. This leads to Antonelli making his first stop, also, followed by Piastri. This gives Verstappen the lead of the race, whilst Russell grabs the fastest lap.
Lawson attempts to pass Albon, and the pair make contact, leaving Albon with a damaged front wing for the second time this race.
Albon retries from the F1 Spanish GP
Lap 27 and Albon comes into the pit lane to retire, but seconds before, he is told he needs to serve a 10-second time penalty. He returns to the track after serving his penalty for another lap, then retires the car.
Lap 30 and Verstappen makes his second stop of the race, returning to the track in P4, sandwiched between the Ferrari’s.
Lawson has yet another collision this race, hitting Bearman as he tries to dive up the inside in an attempt for P10.
Verstappen sets a new fastest lap from P4, gaining quickly on the Ferrari of Leclerc ahead.
Lap 36 and Verstappen flies past Leclerc on the main straight, regaining his original podium place. Now under 6 seconds behind Norris, McLaren is starting to worry, and Norris is starting to push.
40/66 laps of the F1 Spanish GP completed
40 laps in and plenty of the drivers will need to pit again.
Leclerc is next to the pit lane, moving from P4, and returning in P6, 11 seconds behind Russell. Russell reacts and pits on the following lap.
20 laps to go and Piastri still looks comfortable out in front.
Lap 46/66: Oscar Piastri appears to have played this to perfection, with a gap to Norris of around 4-5 seconds.
Hamilton is next to box, and it’s relatively slow, around 4 seconds, moving him from P4 to P7.
Verstappen makes his third stop, maintainin this position in P3. Norris is next to pit and comes out just ahead of the Red Bull. The pair will likely race eachother to the end.
Piastri is next to pit and the three come out exactly where they went in, in places P1-P3.
Bearman and Lawson are battling down the main straight whilst Norris and Verstappen are behind, attempting to pick their way through the field.
Safety car deployed!
Lap 55 and a yellow flag, and then the safety car is deployed as Antonelli’s car flies into the gravel. It appears that the Mercedes engine failed; there was nothing Antonelli could do.
Both McLaren’s pit under the safety car and Verstappen follows. Leclcerc, Russell, and Hamilton follow.
Verstappen seems to have pitted onto the hard compound, whilst the McLarens have pitted for used softs. The Red Bull driver questions the team about their decision and they assure him that this was their only option.
Safety car is still out as Antonelli’s car is removed, but it’ll be difficult for Verstappen to defend, or gain ground on his tyres when the race restarts.
Lap 58 and lapped cars are now unlapping themselves. Lap 60 and the safety car is coming in at the end of this lap.
Safety car restart on lap 60
Green flag is out and Piastri gets away fast!
Verstappen nearly spins off the track on his hard compound with Leclerc behind him. Leclerc gets past despite Verstappen thinking Leclerc hit him; it was most likely a major snap on the Red Bull’s car.
Russell and Verstappen also collided at the restart, and on lap 64, Verstappen is told to let George Russell through.
Verstappen drives into Russell as the Mercedes attempts to pass through, and the incident is now under investigation.
Out in front, we finish with a McLaren 1-2, followed by Leclerc in third, the Ferrari driver who managed to pick up the pieces!
After the race has finished, Verstappen is demoted to P10 following a 10-second time penalty for his incidents at the end of the race!
Full results from the F1 Spanish GP
