Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen survived a close scare from McLaren's Lando Norris to secure the top podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his championship lead.&nbsp;

The race was special for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton who returned to the podium for the first time this season, and the first time since the Mexican Grand Prix last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Red Bull had to dig deep and if it wasn't for Verstappen's opening lap push, the race could have gone the other way as Norris pushed for a dogfight till the very last lap of the race.&nbsp;

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<h2>Norris' opening lap woes</h2>

Norris started the race at the front of the grid but could not get out of the blocks quickly as Mercedes' George Russell took the lead at Turn 1. Verstappen, however, kept up with the pace and managed to take the inside line to go past the British driver a few minutes later on lap 3.&nbsp;

Norris lost the opportunity to win the race after the team took the gamble of staying out, behind Russell while the likes of Verstappen, and Hamilton preferred to pit early. Norris&nbsp;lost nearly four seconds sitting behind Russell and later had to endure a slow pit exit, which contributed to a second-place finish.&nbsp;

Despite the close nature of the finish, it was Verstappen's 61st career win, seventh of the season, and fourth at the track he first shot onto the F1 scene as a teenager in 2016.

"What made the race was the beginning, I took the lead on Lap 3, and then I had a buffer.&nbsp;That in that first stint, I could eke out the gap a little bit and after that, I had to drive a defensive race against Lando and McLaren," said Verstappen in the post-match interview.&nbsp;

"They were very quick today, and in the last few laps, they were very fast, but we did everything well.&nbsp;We drove quite an aggressive strategy, but luckily it played out in the end. It was quite close, but I am very happy to win," he added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-mercedes-calls-police-to-investigate-email-accusing-team-of-deliberately-harming-lewis-hamilton-734145">Also read |&nbsp;Mercedes calls police to investigate 'email' accusing team of DELIBERATELY HARMING Lewis Hamilton</a>

Meanwhile, Norris, looking dejected by the result, conceded that it was the opening that cost him the race, akin to Imola and Canadian GP.&nbsp;

"I had to do a bit of rallying on the straight, I had to take to the grass a little bit, which lost me a bit of momentum, and then of course, we're braking quite late into Turn 1," he said.

McLaren and Norris would have the opportunity to get one better as the second of the triple-header race weekend moves to Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen survived a close scare from McLaren's Lando Norris to secure the top podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his championship lead.

Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen survived a close scare from McLaren's Lando Norris to secure the top podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his championship lead. The race was special for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton who returned to the podium for the first time this season, and the first time since the Mexican Grand Prix last year. Red Bull had to dig deep and if it wasn't for Verstappen's opening lap push, the race could have gone the other way as Norris pushed for a dogfight till the very last lap of the race. Ice cold under the pressure 🥶#F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/3EaLi1hLIx — Formula 1 (@F1) June 23, 2024 × Norris' opening lap woes Norris started the race at the front of the grid but could not get out of the blocks quickly as Mercedes' George Russell took the lead at Turn 1. Verstappen, however, kept up with the pace and managed to take the inside line to go past the British driver a few minutes later on lap 3. Norris lost the opportunity to win the race after the team took the gamble of staying out, behind Russell while the likes of Verstappen, and Hamilton preferred to pit early. Norris lost nearly four seconds sitting behind Russell and later had to endure a slow pit exit, which contributed to a second-place finish. Despite the close nature of the finish, it was Verstappen's 61st career win, seventh of the season, and fourth at the track he first shot onto the F1 scene as a teenager in 2016. "What made the race was the beginning, I took the lead on Lap 3, and then I had a buffer. That in that first stint, I could eke out the gap a little bit and after that, I had to drive a defensive race against Lando and McLaren," said Verstappen in the post-match interview. "They were very quick today, and in the last few laps, they were very fast, but we did everything well. We drove quite an aggressive strategy, but luckily it played out in the end. It was quite close, but I am very happy to win," he added. Also read | Mercedes calls police to investigate 'email' accusing team of DELIBERATELY HARMING Lewis Hamilton Meanwhile, Norris, looking dejected by the result, conceded that it was the opening that cost him the race, akin to Imola and Canadian GP. "I had to do a bit of rallying on the straight, I had to take to the grass a little bit, which lost me a bit of momentum, and then of course, we're braking quite late into Turn 1," he said. McLaren and Norris would have the opportunity to get one better as the second of the triple-header race weekend moves to Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Spanish GP: Max Verstappen survives McLaren scare to finish top of the podium

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen is all geared up for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, to take place on June 23. After his sixth victory of the season from the action-packed Canadian GP, Verstappen is now focused on the Spanish challenge and reckoned that Red Bull is 'aiming to keep the momentum from Canada'. In his preparations, the Red Bull driver is working with the Milton Keynes-based squad to maximise the car's performance for the forthcoming event at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Ahead of the Spanish GP, Verstappen said in Red Bull preview, "We are back to the European races for a while now and I have been with the Team at the factory this week preparing for the Spanish Grand Prix, being the first race of a busy triple header. It has a good mix of high and low-speed corners and we have historically driven well there so hopefully we can maximize the performance of the car this weekend."

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The Dutchman, who won his maiden race in Spanish GP, hopes to continue the momentum from the recent win in Canada. Further, he also hopes for clear skies for the race weekend in Barcelona later this week.&nbsp;

In this regard, he added, "We are aiming to keep the momentum going from Canada, so we are looking forward to racing this weekend and hopefully have some good weather!"

Verstappen is heading into the forthcoming race as an overwhelming favourite, winning the last two editions in Barcelona. However, he is expected to face a stiff challenge for his third successive victory at the track.

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen is all geared up for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, to take place on June 23. After his sixth victory of the season from the action-packed Canadian GP, Verstappen is now focused on the Spanish challenge and reckoned that Red Bull is 'aiming to keep the momentum from Canada'.

Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen is all geared up for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix, to take place on June 23. After his sixth victory of the season from the action-packed Canadian GP, Verstappen is now focused on the Spanish challenge and reckoned that Red Bull is 'aiming to keep the momentum from Canada'. In his preparations, the Red Bull driver is working with the Milton Keynes-based squad to maximise the car's performance for the forthcoming event at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Ahead of the Spanish GP, Verstappen said in Red Bull preview, "We are back to the European races for a while now and I have been with the Team at the factory this week preparing for the Spanish Grand Prix, being the first race of a busy triple header. It has a good mix of high and low-speed corners and we have historically driven well there so hopefully we can maximize the performance of the car this weekend." Also read: Rory McIlroy to 'take time off' from golf after heartbreaking one-stroke loss at US Open The Dutchman, who won his maiden race in Spanish GP, hopes to continue the momentum from the recent win in Canada. Further, he also hopes for clear skies for the race weekend in Barcelona later this week. In this regard, he added, "We are aiming to keep the momentum going from Canada, so we are looking forward to racing this weekend and hopefully have some good weather!" Verstappen is heading into the forthcoming race as an overwhelming favourite, winning the last two editions in Barcelona. However, he is expected to face a stiff challenge for his third successive victory at the track.

'Aiming to keep the momentum from Canada': Red Bull's Max Verstappen ahead of Spanish Grand Prix

Defending double world champion Max Verstappen extended his lead in this year’s title race to 53 points on Sunday when he completed a hat-trick by driving his Red Bull to a masterful victory in the Spanish Grand Prix. The 25-year-old Dutchman led from lights to flag to come home 24 seconds ahead of revitalised seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, in their much-improved Mercedes’ cars.

It was Verstappen’s third consecutive win, his third in Spain, his fifth in seven races this season and the 40th of his career, achieved despite receiving three official warnings for exceeding track limits.

"It’s such a big pleasure to drive a car like this," said Verstappen. "And it showed again today. We were on different tyre strategies out there today and mostly I was on the right one! And to win here is incredible."

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Hamilton’s second place provided him with his 11th podium finish in Spain, where he has won six times.

"Oh, man, what an awesome crowd and result," said Hamilton. “And I didn’t expect that so hats off to the team and our factory for pushing us so close to the ‘Bulls. We are chasing them down -- and George did a great job too today."

Russell said he was surprised to finish third after starting 12th. "Kudos to the team for that," he said. “I had a great car today."

Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez battled through the field, after starting 11th, to finish fourth ahead of Ferrari’s home hero Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll and his Aston Martin team-mate two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who was unable to extend his streak of podiums on home ground.

The race began in hot conditions with an air temperature of 25 degrees and the track at 42, but gathering clouds threatened. The risk of rain was 40 per cent.

Verstappen made a clean start and resisted Sainz into the first corner before, behind him, Hamilton swept round Norris, only for the McLaren to make contract under braking at Turn Two.

Norris’s front wing was damaged, requiring a pit-stop, but Hamilton escaped serious damage. The collision gifted Stroll third place, but this was not to be Aston Martin’s day.

Russell also left the track on the opening lap, at the first chicane. He was not penalised, despite gaining five places from the start.

Verstappen stamped his authority on proceedings and by lap 11 led Sainz by 5.3 seconds with Hamilton, thanks to a sweeping pass on Stroll on lap eight, in third.

By mid-distance, Verstappen led by 13.7 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who was six clear of Sainz and pulling away. Russell, fourth, passed the Spaniard under braking at Turn One on lap 35, confirming the ‘silver arrows’ outright speed in the sunshine.

Verstappen, who had complained of sliding on his worn hards, came in for his final stop on lap 53, taking softs to reach the finish. He was more than 16 seconds clear of Hamilton when he re-joined for his cruise to the flag.&nbsp;

With six laps remaining, he was shown a third black-and-white warning flag. "We can’t afford anything," his team warned him as he enquired about his fastest lap.

Verstappen responded with a lap in 1:16.330, the fastest. "OK, now can you bring it home within the white lines," came race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase’s response.

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Defending double world champion Max Verstappen extended his lead in this year’s title race to 53 points on Sunday when he completed a hat-trick by driving his Red Bull to a masterful victory in the Spanish Grand Prix.

Defending double world champion Max Verstappen extended his lead in this year’s title race to 53 points on Sunday when he completed a hat-trick by driving his Red Bull to a masterful victory in the Spanish Grand Prix. The 25-year-old Dutchman led from lights to flag to come home 24 seconds ahead of revitalised seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, in their much-improved Mercedes’ cars. It was Verstappen’s third consecutive win, his third in Spain, his fifth in seven races this season and the 40th of his career, achieved despite receiving three official warnings for exceeding track limits. "It’s such a big pleasure to drive a car like this," said Verstappen. "And it showed again today. We were on different tyre strategies out there today and mostly I was on the right one! And to win here is incredible." ALSO READ: French Open 2023: Miyu Kato, Aldila Sutjiadi disqualified after accidently hitting ballgirl during match Hamilton’s second place provided him with his 11th podium finish in Spain, where he has won six times. "Oh, man, what an awesome crowd and result," said Hamilton. “And I didn’t expect that so hats off to the team and our factory for pushing us so close to the ‘Bulls. We are chasing them down -- and George did a great job too today." Russell said he was surprised to finish third after starting 12th. "Kudos to the team for that," he said. “I had a great car today." Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez battled through the field, after starting 11th, to finish fourth ahead of Ferrari’s home hero Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll and his Aston Martin team-mate two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who was unable to extend his streak of podiums on home ground. The race began in hot conditions with an air temperature of 25 degrees and the track at 42, but gathering clouds threatened. The risk of rain was 40 per cent. Verstappen made a clean start and resisted Sainz into the first corner before, behind him, Hamilton swept round Norris, only for the McLaren to make contract under braking at Turn Two. Norris’s front wing was damaged, requiring a pit-stop, but Hamilton escaped serious damage. The collision gifted Stroll third place, but this was not to be Aston Martin’s day. Russell also left the track on the opening lap, at the first chicane. He was not penalised, despite gaining five places from the start. Verstappen stamped his authority on proceedings and by lap 11 led Sainz by 5.3 seconds with Hamilton, thanks to a sweeping pass on Stroll on lap eight, in third. By mid-distance, Verstappen led by 13.7 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who was six clear of Sainz and pulling away. Russell, fourth, passed the Spaniard under braking at Turn One on lap 35, confirming the ‘silver arrows’ outright speed in the sunshine. Verstappen, who had complained of sliding on his worn hards, came in for his final stop on lap 53, taking softs to reach the finish. He was more than 16 seconds clear of Hamilton when he re-joined for his cruise to the flag. With six laps remaining, he was shown a third black-and-white warning flag. "We can’t afford anything," his team warned him as he enquired about his fastest lap. Verstappen responded with a lap in 1:16.330, the fastest. "OK, now can you bring it home within the white lines," came race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase’s response. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Formula One: Max Verstappen extends lead in this year’s title race with masterful win in Spanish Grand Prix

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in a Red Bull one-two on Sunday to take over at the top from Ferrari`s luckless Charles Leclerc, who retired with an engine failure while leading.

Mexican Sergio Perez finished a dutiful second, 13 seconds behind but with the consolation of a bonus point for fastest lap, after being told to let his teammate pass for a third victory in a row after Imola and Miami.

The 24-year-old Dutch driver is now six points clear of Leclerc after winning four of six races -- all those he has finished.

Britain`s George Russell came third for a revived Mercedes and after going wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen early on in a thrilling display of defensive driving as they battled for second place behind Leclerc.

Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was fourth, after fighting back from a slow start and a spin into the gravel, but it was scant reward for a team who had brought upgrades to try and turn the tables on Red Bull.

Leclerc was leading comfortably from pole position but a sudden loss of power before the halfway mark led to his retirement in the pits.

"No, no, no! Lost power," the Ferrari driver shouted over the radio as a seemingly sure victory was plucked from his hands by the engine failure.

The Monegasque waved to the capacity Circuit de Catalunya crowd but from then on could only watch his 19-point advantage evaporate in the searing heat.

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"I had no indications before then. It just broke and lost the power completely," he told Sky Sports television.

Verstappen also suffered intermittent problems with his car`s drag reduction system (DRS), leading to plenty of cursing over the radio, and he went off into the gravel at turn four on lap eight.

"I went off when I had a lot of tailwind and lost the rear. My DRS was not always working. That made it very tough but we managed use strategy to get ahead. It was a difficult beginning but a good end," he said.

"I tried to stay focused. It is not nice when stuff like that happens. I am very happy to win and happy for Checo (Perez). It is a great result for the team."

Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes with a fine recovery drive after an opening lap collision with Kevin Magnussen`s Haas dropped him to 19th.

He was passed by Sainz on the closing laps after Mercedes warned of a potentially terminal cooling issue.

Alfa Romeo`s Valtteri Bottas was sixth, ahead of Alpine`s Esteban Ocon and McLaren`s Lando Norris in eighth.

Spain`s twice world champion Fernando Alonso finished ninth in front of his home fans, after starting at the back of the grid, and AlphaTauri`s Yuki Tsunoda collected the final point.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in a Red Bull one-two on Sunday to take over at the top from Ferrari`s luckless Charles Leclerc, who retired with an engine failure while leading.

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in a Red Bull one-two on Sunday to take over at the top from Ferrari`s luckless Charles Leclerc, who retired with an engine failure while leading. Mexican Sergio Perez finished a dutiful second, 13 seconds behind but with the consolation of a bonus point for fastest lap, after being told to let his teammate pass for a third victory in a row after Imola and Miami. The 24-year-old Dutch driver is now six points clear of Leclerc after winning four of six races -- all those he has finished. Britain`s George Russell came third for a revived Mercedes and after going wheel-to-wheel with Verstappen early on in a thrilling display of defensive driving as they battled for second place behind Leclerc. Ferrari`s Carlos Sainz was fourth, after fighting back from a slow start and a spin into the gravel, but it was scant reward for a team who had brought upgrades to try and turn the tables on Red Bull. Leclerc was leading comfortably from pole position but a sudden loss of power before the halfway mark led to his retirement in the pits. "No, no, no! Lost power," the Ferrari driver shouted over the radio as a seemingly sure victory was plucked from his hands by the engine failure. The Monegasque waved to the capacity Circuit de Catalunya crowd but from then on could only watch his 19-point advantage evaporate in the searing heat. Also read | Twice runner-up Dominic Thiem crashes out at first hurdle in French Open "I had no indications before then. It just broke and lost the power completely," he told Sky Sports television. Verstappen also suffered intermittent problems with his car`s drag reduction system (DRS), leading to plenty of cursing over the radio, and he went off into the gravel at turn four on lap eight. "I went off when I had a lot of tailwind and lost the rear. My DRS was not always working. That made it very tough but we managed use strategy to get ahead. It was a difficult beginning but a good end," he said. "I tried to stay focused. It is not nice when stuff like that happens. I am very happy to win and happy for Checo (Perez). It is a great result for the team." Seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for Mercedes with a fine recovery drive after an opening lap collision with Kevin Magnussen`s Haas dropped him to 19th. He was passed by Sainz on the closing laps after Mercedes warned of a potentially terminal cooling issue. Alfa Romeo`s Valtteri Bottas was sixth, ahead of Alpine`s Esteban Ocon and McLaren`s Lando Norris in eighth. Spain`s twice world champion Fernando Alonso finished ninth in front of his home fans, after starting at the back of the grid, and AlphaTauri`s Yuki Tsunoda collected the final point.

Max Verstappen takes F1 lead with win in Spain, agony for Charles Leclerc

Lewis Hamilton claimed his fifth successive Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen&nbsp;after a Mercedes pit-stop masterstroke.

Hamilton moved on to 98 career wins after a surprise second change of tyres hoodwinked Red Bull to lift him 14 points clear of Verstappen in the drivers' standings.

"It was a really great strategy by the team. What a day!" beamed Hamilton, who was quick to acknowledge the smattering of fans allowed in to watch, a rare occurence in the time of coronavirus.

"It is great to see. I saw a British flag out there which I haven't seen for a long, long time. I feel great after this. I feel like I could go again."

Hamilton had set off from pole for the 100th time but was beaten to the first corner by Verstappen, with Charles Leclerc for Ferrari dishing out the same treatment on Valtteri Bottas on turn two.

On lap eight Yuki Tsunoda's Sunday drive in Catalonia suffered a premature end when his AlphaTauri came to a grinding halt.

"Engine stop" the Japanese rookie lamented as the safety car emerged briefly to remove the immobile obstacle.

Verstappen held off Hamilton comfortably on the restart on lap 11, with Leclerc continuing to split the two Mercedes.

With a third of the race completed the first round of pit stops began, with all eyes on which of the front two with less than a second between them would blink first.

Verstappen it was who came in on lap 25, but the pit stop was slow by a couple of seconds in another minor but potentially critical error by the Red Bull title pretenders.

<h2>- 'Sitting duck' -</h2>

The Mercedes pit wall pulled Hamilton in for a lightning stop a few laps later as they pinned their hopes on fresher medium tyres making the difference towards the finish.

At the midway point Hamilton set the fastest lap to go less than two and a half seconds behind his Dutch rival. The gap was less than a second shortly after.

On lap 43 Mercedes played their ace card.

Hamilton, half a second off the lead, came into the pits for a second new set of mediums.

He reemerged with under 23sec to make up on Verstappen, who with tyre wear was in danger of becoming what he would describe afterwards as "a sitting duck" for the man in pursuit of a record eighth drivers' title.

Hamilton asked his pit wall: "How far have I got to catch up?"

"Currently 22 seconds... we've done it before..." came back the reply.

There was a note of desperation on Red Bull's radio with Verstappen suggesting "I don't know how we are going to make it to the end".

Hamilton moved into second but there was no hint of team orders with Bottas forcing his teammate into full overtaking mode.

Ten laps to go and Hamilton had only three seconds to make up on Verstappen and on lap 60 he did it, surging past the Dutchman on turn one - Toto Wolff, his team boss, punching the air with delight as their masterstroke paid off.

Hamilton said he was in two minds as to whether to obey the order to come in.

"I was about to get a shot to get past him as I pitted. I was really conflicted - 'do I come in or ignore the call?'.&nbsp;

"I did what the team asked because there is a great trust between us. Remarkable job by everyone in this team. What a day."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner was magnanimous in defeat, saying: "In fairness, hats off to Mercedes and Lewis."

Verstappen said: "We're not where we want to be and we still need to push hard and catch up because at the moment we are a little bit slower. But compared to last year, it has been a jump for us."

Bottas took third in the second Mercedes with Leclerc's Ferrari in fourth and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull completing the top five.

Formula One takes a breather next weekend before returning for the Monaco Grand Prix with Hamilton possibly having a tilt at his century of wins in Azerbaijan at the start of June.

Lewis Hamilton claimed his fifth successive Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen after a Mercedes pit-stop masterstroke. Hamilton moved on to 98 career wins after a surprise second change of tyres hoodwinked Red Bull to lift him 14 points clear of Verstappen in the drivers' standings.

Lewis Hamilton claimed his fifth successive Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen after a Mercedes pit-stop masterstroke. Hamilton moved on to 98 career wins after a surprise second change of tyres hoodwinked Red Bull to lift him 14 points clear of Verstappen in the drivers' standings. "It was a really great strategy by the team. What a day!" beamed Hamilton, who was quick to acknowledge the smattering of fans allowed in to watch, a rare occurence in the time of coronavirus. "It is great to see. I saw a British flag out there which I haven't seen for a long, long time. I feel great after this. I feel like I could go again." Hamilton had set off from pole for the 100th time but was beaten to the first corner by Verstappen, with Charles Leclerc for Ferrari dishing out the same treatment on Valtteri Bottas on turn two. On lap eight Yuki Tsunoda's Sunday drive in Catalonia suffered a premature end when his AlphaTauri came to a grinding halt. "Engine stop" the Japanese rookie lamented as the safety car emerged briefly to remove the immobile obstacle. Verstappen held off Hamilton comfortably on the restart on lap 11, with Leclerc continuing to split the two Mercedes. With a third of the race completed the first round of pit stops began, with all eyes on which of the front two with less than a second between them would blink first. Verstappen it was who came in on lap 25, but the pit stop was slow by a couple of seconds in another minor but potentially critical error by the Red Bull title pretenders. - 'Sitting duck' - The Mercedes pit wall pulled Hamilton in for a lightning stop a few laps later as they pinned their hopes on fresher medium tyres making the difference towards the finish. At the midway point Hamilton set the fastest lap to go less than two and a half seconds behind his Dutch rival. The gap was less than a second shortly after. On lap 43 Mercedes played their ace card. Hamilton, half a second off the lead, came into the pits for a second new set of mediums. He reemerged with under 23sec to make up on Verstappen, who with tyre wear was in danger of becoming what he would describe afterwards as "a sitting duck" for the man in pursuit of a record eighth drivers' title. Hamilton asked his pit wall: "How far have I got to catch up?" "Currently 22 seconds... we've done it before..." came back the reply. There was a note of desperation on Red Bull's radio with Verstappen suggesting "I don't know how we are going to make it to the end". Hamilton moved into second but there was no hint of team orders with Bottas forcing his teammate into full overtaking mode. Ten laps to go and Hamilton had only three seconds to make up on Verstappen and on lap 60 he did it, surging past the Dutchman on turn one - Toto Wolff, his team boss, punching the air with delight as their masterstroke paid off. Hamilton said he was in two minds as to whether to obey the order to come in. "I was about to get a shot to get past him as I pitted. I was really conflicted - 'do I come in or ignore the call?'. "I did what the team asked because there is a great trust between us. Remarkable job by everyone in this team. What a day." Red Bull boss Christian Horner was magnanimous in defeat, saying: "In fairness, hats off to Mercedes and Lewis." Verstappen said: "We're not where we want to be and we still need to push hard and catch up because at the moment we are a little bit slower. But compared to last year, it has been a jump for us." Bottas took third in the second Mercedes with Leclerc's Ferrari in fourth and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull completing the top five. Formula One takes a breather next weekend before returning for the Monaco Grand Prix with Hamilton possibly having a tilt at his century of wins in Azerbaijan at the start of June.

Mercedes masterstroke in Spain helps Hamilton deny Verstappen

The Formula One circus pitches up in Barcelona this weekend for the Spanish Grand Prix with Red Bull's tantalising tilt at prising the spotlight away from showstoppers Mercedes topping the bill.

Three races in and against pre-season predictions it is Lewis Hamilton who leads Max Verstappen by eight points arriving at the fourth leg of the championship.

Wins last Sunday in Portugal and in the opener in Bahrain leave the seven-time champion in his customary habitat at the top of the F1 drivers' tree.

Barcelona is a track the teams know intimately as the usual venue for pre-season testing, and with its reputation as a circuit where overtaking opportunities are few and far between the onus will be on Saturday's qualifying to command a prime front row seat on Sunday's grid.

Hamilton is seeking his fifth consecutive win in Catalonia, with three of his last four victories delivered from pole.

Should he top the time sheets on Saturday he will celebrate his 100th pole position, after being denied that honour by his teammate Valtteri Bottas last weekend in Portimao.

Verstappen and Red Bull's emergence as serious title contenders not only has F1 fans gripping their sofas' arm rests or smart phones -- Mercedes chief Toto Wolff says he's enjoying the same sensation he felt at the first signs Mercedes could muscle in on the then Red Bull roadshow seven years ago.

"When we were behind in testing and in Bahrain, it's a buzz that I have not felt in the team since 2013 when we had that first sniff that we could be there," said Wolff. "The whole place is excited and continues to be excited. I'd like to be happy after Abu Dhabi at the end of the season but for the time being, we'll take it one step at a time."

While the 2021 Hamilton continues to display all the hallmarks that have turned him into a serial champion - often flawless race craft, consummate professionalism and steely focus, Verstappen this season has changed.

The Dutch driver seems to have his eye on the bigger picture, as F1's managing director Ross Brawn pointed out.

"It's clear that Max Verstappen is approaching this championship in a different way because he finally has a title-winning car," said Brawn.

"And it had to change because when you're a title contender, the focus has to be on consolidating when you're not the fastest and when opportunities such as a mechanical issue for a rival or a Safety Car present themselves, you must be in a position to strike."

Verstappen's boss at Red Bull Christian Horner is like his Mercedes counterpart Wolff lapping up the first proper inter-team title battle for some time.

"The picture is starting to clarify. Red Bull and Mercedes are the two standout teams, and Lewis and Max are the two standout drivers.

"It's incredibly tight. The biggest winner for that is Formula 1 – and if it goes like this for 23 races, it's going to be nip and tuck."

One driver who has special reason to approach this weekend's race with a spring in his step is Fernando Alonso.

The two-time champion is finally finding his feet with Alpine, formerly Renault, after his return to F1, scoring points for the second straight race in the Algarve sunshine.

"It was good, it was fun," said the veteran Spaniard ahead of his home grand prix.

"We were fighting with one McLaren, one Ferrari - things that were unthinkable in Imola or Bahrain. So I think we made a big step forward in terms of the car performance."

Alonso is in 12th in the drivers standings, nine places and 32 points behind Lando Norris, who has enjoyed a sensational start to 2021 for back-in-business McLaren with three top-five finishes.

Sensational is not how even Nikita Mazepin's most loyal followers would describe the Russian rookie's three first appearances in the fast lane.

A lap one crash in Bahrain, spins at Imola, and a dangerous block on Sergio Perez last Sunday suggest the young Haas driver will be just happy to reach Sunday night having crossed the line without any further mishaps.

The Formula One circus pitches up in Barcelona this weekend for the Spanish Grand Prix with Red Bull's tantalising tilt at prising the spotlight away from showstoppers Mercedes topping the bill.

The Formula One circus pitches up in Barcelona this weekend for the Spanish Grand Prix with Red Bull's tantalising tilt at prising the spotlight away from showstoppers Mercedes topping the bill. Three races in and against pre-season predictions it is Lewis Hamilton who leads Max Verstappen by eight points arriving at the fourth leg of the championship. Wins last Sunday in Portugal and in the opener in Bahrain leave the seven-time champion in his customary habitat at the top of the F1 drivers' tree. Barcelona is a track the teams know intimately as the usual venue for pre-season testing, and with its reputation as a circuit where overtaking opportunities are few and far between the onus will be on Saturday's qualifying to command a prime front row seat on Sunday's grid. Hamilton is seeking his fifth consecutive win in Catalonia, with three of his last four victories delivered from pole. Should he top the time sheets on Saturday he will celebrate his 100th pole position, after being denied that honour by his teammate Valtteri Bottas last weekend in Portimao. Verstappen and Red Bull's emergence as serious title contenders not only has F1 fans gripping their sofas' arm rests or smart phones -- Mercedes chief Toto Wolff says he's enjoying the same sensation he felt at the first signs Mercedes could muscle in on the then Red Bull roadshow seven years ago. "When we were behind in testing and in Bahrain, it's a buzz that I have not felt in the team since 2013 when we had that first sniff that we could be there," said Wolff. "The whole place is excited and continues to be excited. I'd like to be happy after Abu Dhabi at the end of the season but for the time being, we'll take it one step at a time." While the 2021 Hamilton continues to display all the hallmarks that have turned him into a serial champion - often flawless race craft, consummate professionalism and steely focus, Verstappen this season has changed. The Dutch driver seems to have his eye on the bigger picture, as F1's managing director Ross Brawn pointed out. "It's clear that Max Verstappen is approaching this championship in a different way because he finally has a title-winning car," said Brawn. "And it had to change because when you're a title contender, the focus has to be on consolidating when you're not the fastest and when opportunities such as a mechanical issue for a rival or a Safety Car present themselves, you must be in a position to strike." Verstappen's boss at Red Bull Christian Horner is like his Mercedes counterpart Wolff lapping up the first proper inter-team title battle for some time. "The picture is starting to clarify. Red Bull and Mercedes are the two standout teams, and Lewis and Max are the two standout drivers. "It's incredibly tight. The biggest winner for that is Formula 1 – and if it goes like this for 23 races, it's going to be nip and tuck." One driver who has special reason to approach this weekend's race with a spring in his step is Fernando Alonso. The two-time champion is finally finding his feet with Alpine, formerly Renault, after his return to F1, scoring points for the second straight race in the Algarve sunshine. "It was good, it was fun," said the veteran Spaniard ahead of his home grand prix. "We were fighting with one McLaren, one Ferrari - things that were unthinkable in Imola or Bahrain. So I think we made a big step forward in terms of the car performance." Alonso is in 12th in the drivers standings, nine places and 32 points behind Lando Norris, who has enjoyed a sensational start to 2021 for back-in-business McLaren with three top-five finishes. Sensational is not how even Nikita Mazepin's most loyal followers would describe the Russian rookie's three first appearances in the fast lane. A lap one crash in Bahrain, spins at Imola, and a dangerous block on Sergio Perez last Sunday suggest the young Haas driver will be just happy to reach Sunday night having crossed the line without any further mishaps.

Hamilton pursues 100th pole as 'nip and tuck' title battle arrives in Spain

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won in Spain for the fourth year in a row on Sunday to celebrate a record 156th podium finish and stretch his already commanding lead to 37 points.

The victory from pole position on a sweltering afternoon at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, in a race without spectators due to the pandemic, was the 88th of the Mercedes driver’s career, and one of the more straightforward.

The six-times champion lapped all but the top three in a race that offered few thrills other than for fans of tyre management.

“I was in a different zone — I didn’t even realise it was the last lap,” said Hamilton, who described the race as one of his best in terms of how he drove.

“I was just in a daze out there...I was ready to keep going,” he added, speaking of how he felt completely at one with the car.

Hamilton is now just three wins short of Ferrari great Michael Schumacher’s unmatched 91, and the podium ended another of the German’s records that he had shared with the Briton since last Sunday at Silverstone.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Hamilton’s closest challenger after six races and winner a week ago of the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, finished runner-up but a massive 24.177 seconds behind.

Valtteri Bottas was third for Mercedes, having taken the fastest lap after a late stop for fresh tyres, in another big setback for the Finn.

Verstappen has now beaten Bottas in the last four races and been second to Hamilton in three of them. Hamilton has 132 points to Verstappen’s 95, with Bottas falling further behind on 89.

“The weakness for Valtteri today was the start. He caught up to Max but he couldn’t overtake as the soft tyres didn’t work as expected,” commented Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff.

<h3>WARNING FLAGS</h3>

Verstappen had lined up third on the grid but grabbed second at the start as Bottas was squeezed on both sides and dropped to fourth, taking back third place four laps later.

Canadian Lance Stroll took fourth place for Racing Point with Mexican team mate Sergio Perez ahead of him at the finish, on a one-stop strategy, but with a five-second penalty for ignoring blue warning flags.

Stroll had seized third at the start with an impressive surge past his team mate, who was returning from two weeks in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.

“I saw a gap on the inside went for it, and it really set me up,” said the Canadian, whose team were again protested by Renault afterwards as at the previous four races. Stewards applied a reprimand, as before.

Racing Point have already been docked 15 points and fined 400,000 euros for a breach of the sporting regulations with a car that is a close copy of last year’s Mercedes but Renault are appealing for a heavier punishment.

Spaniard Carlos Sainz was sixth for McLaren and Sebastian Vettel seventh for Ferrari, after doing close to 40 laps on one set of soft tyres, with Red Bull’s Alexander Albon eighth for Red Bull.

AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly was ninth and Lando Norris took the final point for McLaren.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was the sole retirement of the afternoon, having spun off after an engine cut-out due to an electrical problem, possibly caused by a kerb.

The Monegasque got the car started again but headed straight to the pits and retired from last place.

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won in Spain for the fourth year in a row on Sunday to celebrate a record 156th podium finish and stretch his already commanding lead to 37 points.

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won in Spain for the fourth year in a row on Sunday to celebrate a record 156th podium finish and stretch his already commanding lead to 37 points. The victory from pole position on a sweltering afternoon at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, in a race without spectators due to the pandemic, was the 88th of the Mercedes driver’s career, and one of the more straightforward. The six-times champion lapped all but the top three in a race that offered few thrills other than for fans of tyre management. “I was in a different zone — I didn’t even realise it was the last lap,” said Hamilton, who described the race as one of his best in terms of how he drove. “I was just in a daze out there...I was ready to keep going,” he added, speaking of how he felt completely at one with the car. Hamilton is now just three wins short of Ferrari great Michael Schumacher’s unmatched 91, and the podium ended another of the German’s records that he had shared with the Briton since last Sunday at Silverstone. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, Hamilton’s closest challenger after six races and winner a week ago of the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, finished runner-up but a massive 24.177 seconds behind. Valtteri Bottas was third for Mercedes, having taken the fastest lap after a late stop for fresh tyres, in another big setback for the Finn. Verstappen has now beaten Bottas in the last four races and been second to Hamilton in three of them. Hamilton has 132 points to Verstappen’s 95, with Bottas falling further behind on 89. “The weakness for Valtteri today was the start. He caught up to Max but he couldn’t overtake as the soft tyres didn’t work as expected,” commented Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. WARNING FLAGS Verstappen had lined up third on the grid but grabbed second at the start as Bottas was squeezed on both sides and dropped to fourth, taking back third place four laps later. Canadian Lance Stroll took fourth place for Racing Point with Mexican team mate Sergio Perez ahead of him at the finish, on a one-stop strategy, but with a five-second penalty for ignoring blue warning flags. Stroll had seized third at the start with an impressive surge past his team mate, who was returning from two weeks in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. “I saw a gap on the inside went for it, and it really set me up,” said the Canadian, whose team were again protested by Renault afterwards as at the previous four races. Stewards applied a reprimand, as before. Racing Point have already been docked 15 points and fined 400,000 euros for a breach of the sporting regulations with a car that is a close copy of last year’s Mercedes but Renault are appealing for a heavier punishment. Spaniard Carlos Sainz was sixth for McLaren and Sebastian Vettel seventh for Ferrari, after doing close to 40 laps on one set of soft tyres, with Red Bull’s Alexander Albon eighth for Red Bull. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly was ninth and Lando Norris took the final point for McLaren. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was the sole retirement of the afternoon, having spun off after an engine cut-out due to an electrical problem, possibly caused by a kerb. The Monegasque got the car started again but headed straight to the pits and retired from last place.

Dazed Hamilton takes dominant win in the Spanish heat

Valtteri Bottas set the pace ahead of his team-mate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes resumed normal service by topping the times in Friday’s opening Spanish Grand Prix practice.

The Finn clocked a best lap in one minute and 16.785 seconds to outpace the six-time champion by 0.039sec with last Sunday’s race victor Max Verstappen third for Red Bull, nine-tenths adrift of the fastest time.

The Dutchman had beaten both Mercedes men to claim the ninth win of his career in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix in sweltering conditions at Silverstone.

But with the temperature hovering at 28 degrees on a perfect summer’s day at the Circuit de Catalunya there were no major heating or tyre issues for the ‘black arrows’ this time out.

Charles Leclerc finished fourth ahead of his Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel, running in a new chassis, Romain Grosjean of Haas and Sergio Perez of Racing Point.

Mexican Perez was back in action after missing both Silverstone races due to coronavirus.

Alex Albon was eighth in the second Red Bull ahead of Kevin Magnussen in the second Haas and Lance Stroll in the second Racing Point.

The session was run in near-ideal conditions and delivered few incidents apart from complaints by Hamilton about his left-front tyre wearing rapidly and his team-mate’s radio communications reverting to a crackle.

Valtteri Bottas set the pace ahead of his team-mate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes resumed normal service by topping the times in Friday’s opening Spanish Grand Prix practice.

Valtteri Bottas set the pace ahead of his team-mate and championship leader Lewis Hamilton as Mercedes resumed normal service by topping the times in Friday’s opening Spanish Grand Prix practice. The Finn clocked a best lap in one minute and 16.785 seconds to outpace the six-time champion by 0.039sec with last Sunday’s race victor Max Verstappen third for Red Bull, nine-tenths adrift of the fastest time. The Dutchman had beaten both Mercedes men to claim the ninth win of his career in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix in sweltering conditions at Silverstone. But with the temperature hovering at 28 degrees on a perfect summer’s day at the Circuit de Catalunya there were no major heating or tyre issues for the ‘black arrows’ this time out. Charles Leclerc finished fourth ahead of his Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel, running in a new chassis, Romain Grosjean of Haas and Sergio Perez of Racing Point. Mexican Perez was back in action after missing both Silverstone races due to coronavirus. Alex Albon was eighth in the second Red Bull ahead of Kevin Magnussen in the second Haas and Lance Stroll in the second Racing Point. The session was run in near-ideal conditions and delivered few incidents apart from complaints by Hamilton about his left-front tyre wearing rapidly and his team-mate’s radio communications reverting to a crackle.

Bottas tops Hamilton as Mercedes return to form

With the Australian Grand Prix being cancelled, coronavirus pandemic has slowed down this year's Formula One championship after the Dutch and Spanish have been postponed whereas Monaco Grand Prix organisers have called off the race.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-one-australian-grand-prix-cancelled-as-mclaren-team-member-tested-positive-for-covid-19-286014">Formula One: Australian Grand Prix cancelled as McLaren team member tested positive for COVID-19</a>

Earlier, Bahrain, Chinese and Vietnamese Grands Prix were postponed.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/season-opening-australian-f1-in-chaos-as-mclaren-pulls-out-285901" hreflang="en">Season-opening Australian F1 in chaos as McLaren pulls out</a>

The Dutch Grand Prix was set to return to the calendar year of the championship for the first time since 1985. The race was supposed to take place in Zandvoort circuit on May 1-3, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix.&nbsp;

Monaco Grand Prix has been cancelled as the organisers said that the situation was "no longer tenable". 
&nbsp; 
A statement from the race organisers, Automobile Club de Monaco read: "The current situation concerning the worldwide pandemic and its unknown path of evolution, the lack of understanding as to the impact on the FIA F1 World Championship 2020, the uncertainty with regards to the participation of the teams, the consequences with regards to the differing measures of confinement as taken by various governments worldwide, the multi-border restrictions for accessing the Principality of Monaco, the pressure on all implicated businesses, their dedicated staff who are unable to undertake the necessary installations, the availability of the indispensable workforce and volunteers (more than 1500) required for the success of the event means that the situation is no longer tenable.

They went on to apologise to the fans, spectators and partners for cancelling the much-awaited race of the year.&nbsp;

They said: "To all the fans, spectators, partners and our members, the Board of Directors wishes to express its sincere regrets that these two events cannot be postponed and under no circumstances, will it be possible to organize these events later this year."

If the global contagion continues to spread, it could lead to cancelling of the complete championship.

With the Australian Grand Prix being cancelled, coronavirus pandemic has slowed down this year's Formula One championship after the Dutch and Spanish have been postponed whereas Monaco Grand Prix organisers have called off the race.

With the Australian Grand Prix being cancelled, coronavirus pandemic has slowed down this year's Formula One championship after the Dutch and Spanish have been postponed whereas Monaco Grand Prix organisers have called off the race. Also read: Formula One: Australian Grand Prix cancelled as McLaren team member tested positive for COVID-19 Earlier, Bahrain, Chinese and Vietnamese Grands Prix were postponed. Also read: Season-opening Australian F1 in chaos as McLaren pulls out The Dutch Grand Prix was set to return to the calendar year of the championship for the first time since 1985. The race was supposed to take place in Zandvoort circuit on May 1-3, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix. Monaco Grand Prix has been cancelled as the organisers said that the situation was "no longer tenable". A statement from the race organisers, Automobile Club de Monaco read: "The current situation concerning the worldwide pandemic and its unknown path of evolution, the lack of understanding as to the impact on the FIA F1 World Championship 2020, the uncertainty with regards to the participation of the teams, the consequences with regards to the differing measures of confinement as taken by various governments worldwide, the multi-border restrictions for accessing the Principality of Monaco, the pressure on all implicated businesses, their dedicated staff who are unable to undertake the necessary installations, the availability of the indispensable workforce and volunteers (more than 1500) required for the success of the event means that the situation is no longer tenable. They went on to apologise to the fans, spectators and partners for cancelling the much-awaited race of the year. They said: "To all the fans, spectators, partners and our members, the Board of Directors wishes to express its sincere regrets that these two events cannot be postponed and under no circumstances, will it be possible to organize these events later this year." If the global contagion continues to spread, it could lead to cancelling of the complete championship.

F1: Dutch and Spanish Grands Prix postponed whereas Monaco race called off

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=Lewis+Hamilton">Lewis Hamilton</a> beat Valtteri Bottas in the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday to replace his team-mate as world championship leader as Mercedes' extended their record start to the season with a fifth 1-2 finish.

The defending five-time world champion seized the initiative at the start in Barcelona and led from lights to flag with a consummate demonstration of his speed and race-craft at the Circuit de Catalunya.

It was his third win this year, the 76th of his career and his fourth in Spain following victories in 2014, 2017 and 2018. &nbsp;

Responding to being outpaced by Bottas in qualifying, Hamilton came home 4.074 seconds ahead of the Finn who was second ahead of Max Verstappen of Red Bull, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc.

Pierre Gasly was a solid sixth in the second Red Bull ahead of Kevin Magnussen of Haas, home hero Carlos Sainz of McLaren, Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso and Romain Grosjean in the second Haas.

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A first <a href="https://twitter.com/DHL_Motorsports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DHL_Motorsports</a> Fastest Lap Award of the season for <a href="https://twitter.com/LewisHamilton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LewisHamilton</a> ⏱️ 
 
And a valuable bonus point for him in the title race 🏆<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpanishGP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpanishGP</a> 🇪🇸 <a href="https://t.co/ojtyIRoIBL">pic.twitter.com/ojtyIRoIBL</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/1127600146374635526?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2019</a></blockquote>
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It was the 16th time that Hamilton won a Grand Prix after leading every lap of the race.

Hamilton’s triumph hoisted him back to the top of the standings with 112 points, including one for fastest lap, ahead of Bottas on 105

"I have to put it down to this incredible team,” said Hamilton. “This is history in the making to have five 1-2’s. I am very proud of that!

"It's definitely been a bit of a hard first four races. Naturally we have a great car, but we don't always get along. I'm grateful in the race that we managed to settle our differences.”

Bottas said: “I lost it there, at the start. The clutch was strange – bite and release, bite and release. I’ve never had that before.”&nbsp;

Lewis Hamilton beat Valtteri Bottas in the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday to replace his team-mate as world championship leader as Mercedes' extended their record start to the season with a fifth 1-2 finish.

Lewis Hamilton beat Valtteri Bottas in the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday to replace his team-mate as world championship leader as Mercedes' extended their record start to the season with a fifth 1-2 finish. The defending five-time world champion seized the initiative at the start in Barcelona and led from lights to flag with a consummate demonstration of his speed and race-craft at the Circuit de Catalunya. It was his third win this year, the 76th of his career and his fourth in Spain following victories in 2014, 2017 and 2018. Responding to being outpaced by Bottas in qualifying, Hamilton came home 4.074 seconds ahead of the Finn who was second ahead of Max Verstappen of Red Bull, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc. Pierre Gasly was a solid sixth in the second Red Bull ahead of Kevin Magnussen of Haas, home hero Carlos Sainz of McLaren, Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso and Romain Grosjean in the second Haas. A first @DHL_Motorsports Fastest Lap Award of the season for @LewisHamilton ⏱️ And a valuable bonus point for him in the title race 🏆#F1 #SpanishGP 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/ojtyIRoIBL — Formula 1 (@F1) May 12, 2019 × It was the 16th time that Hamilton won a Grand Prix after leading every lap of the race. Hamilton’s triumph hoisted him back to the top of the standings with 112 points, including one for fastest lap, ahead of Bottas on 105 "I have to put it down to this incredible team,” said Hamilton. “This is history in the making to have five 1-2’s. I am very proud of that! "It's definitely been a bit of a hard first four races. Naturally we have a great car, but we don't always get along. I'm grateful in the race that we managed to settle our differences.” Bottas said: “I lost it there, at the start. The clutch was strange – bite and release, bite and release. I’ve never had that before.”

Lewis Hamilton wins Spanish Grand Prix, takes championship lead

Formula One leader Valtteri Bottas put his Mercedes on pole position by a massive margin at the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday (May 11) with team mate Lewis Hamilton having to settle for second in a front row lockout.

The pole was a third in a row for the re-energised Finn, who leads Hamilton by a single point after four of the 21 races, and he did it in a track record time of one minute 15.406 seconds.

That was a hefty 0.634 quicker than Hamilton's best effort, dashing the five-times world champion's hopes of record-extending 85th career pole.

Sebastian Vettel qualified in third place, in 1:16.272, with Red Bull's 2016 Spanish Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen fourth and sandwiched between the Ferraris, with Charles Leclerc fifth.

"I really enjoyed that, I enjoyed the adrenaline rush we get from those laps, I'm very pleased," said the Finn, who will be chasing his third win of the season on Sunday.

Hamilton said his laps in the final phase of qualifying could have been better, with a scrappy first effort kicking up gravel, but the upgrades brought by Mercedes to the start of the traditional European part of the campaign were working well.

The Briton, winner for the past two seasons in Barcelona and three times in all, said Bottas had simply been quicker on the day.

Mercedes have won the first four races one-two, a record start for any team, despite Ferrari setting the pace in pre-season testing.

Formula One leader Valtteri Bottas put his Mercedes on pole position by a massive margin at the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday (May 11) with team mate Lewis Hamilton having to settle for second in a front row lockout.

Formula One leader Valtteri Bottas put his Mercedes on pole position by a massive margin at the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday (May 11) with team mate Lewis Hamilton having to settle for second in a front row lockout. The pole was a third in a row for the re-energised Finn, who leads Hamilton by a single point after four of the 21 races, and he did it in a track record time of one minute 15.406 seconds. That was a hefty 0.634 quicker than Hamilton's best effort, dashing the five-times world champion's hopes of record-extending 85th career pole. Sebastian Vettel qualified in third place, in 1:16.272, with Red Bull's 2016 Spanish Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen fourth and sandwiched between the Ferraris, with Charles Leclerc fifth. "I really enjoyed that, I enjoyed the adrenaline rush we get from those laps, I'm very pleased," said the Finn, who will be chasing his third win of the season on Sunday. Hamilton said his laps in the final phase of qualifying could have been better, with a scrappy first effort kicking up gravel, but the upgrades brought by Mercedes to the start of the traditional European part of the campaign were working well. The Briton, winner for the past two seasons in Barcelona and three times in all, said Bottas had simply been quicker on the day. Mercedes have won the first four races one-two, a record start for any team, despite Ferrari setting the pace in pre-season testing.

Valtteri Bottas on pole in Spain for third race in a row

Formula One championship leader Valtteri Bottas led both practice sessions for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday with Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton a close second and Ferrari still off the pace.

The times dampened hopes of an immediate return to pre-season testing form for Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, who have been eclipsed by Mercedes in the first four races.

The reigning champions have notched up four successive one-two finishes, leaving Ferrari 74 points adrift in the constructors' standings.

"It's always an interesting day when you're bringing new parts to the car to get a feel for it and see if they bring the performance they should," said Bottas.

"The car felt really good today, completely different to how it was in winter testing, and it seems like our cornering performance has improved.

"The balance around the lap is also better, so it looks like we've taken the right direction since the winter

Bottas produced his quickest lap in the day's afternoon session, a time of one minute 17.284 seconds after a 1:17.951 in the morning.

Five-times world champion Hamilton was second on the timesheets, 0.049 slower than Bottas, while Leclerc was third and three tenths adrift but still ahead of Vettel who lapped in 1:17.673 on the same soft tyres.

Ferrari, who dominated pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, were using a new specification engine and hoping for a step up in the first race of the traditional European part of the campaign.

Vettel, third in the drivers' standings, is already 35 points behind Bottas.

"I think overall we've been seeing what we expected," said the German, who was struggling for grip in the slower corners. "Certainly not as happy as we wanted to be so still a lot of homework for us.

"I think engine-wise we're happy," he added. "Obviously it's Friday so a bit difficult to know what we are doing compared to other people...feeling-wise it's a different story."

Bottas, who leads Hamilton by a single point thanks to his fastest lap in Australia, had missed the last half hour of the first session due to an oil leak that shut down the car and had to be investigated.

Hamilton was unhappy with the performance of his car's tyres in the first session when he was fourth fastest and set his best lap on softs.

"Tyre prep terrible. Rear tyres are done," the Briton said over the radio. He said later that there was work to do on the balance of the car.

Romain Grosjean, who has yet to score a point this year, was fifth and sixth fastest respectively for the Haas team with McLaren's Carlos Sainz, the only Spanish driver now that Fernando Alonso has left, sixth in the morning.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, a winner in Spain in 2016, was only 12th fastest in the first session when his car had an oil leak, but moved up to fifth in the afternoon.

"I have a good feeling about the upgrades, which work for sure, and the tyres seem to be working quite well, too," said the Dutchman.

"The long runs were OK and we still need to find a little bit of pace, but we have the whole night to find it."

Canadian Lance Stroll provided the only incident of the first practice, crashing his Racing Point into the tyre wall at turn nine and bringing out red flags to close the session.

Formula One championship leader Valtteri Bottas led both practice sessions for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday with Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton a close second and Ferrari still off the pace.

Formula One championship leader Valtteri Bottas led both practice sessions for the Spanish Grand Prix on Friday with Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton a close second and Ferrari still off the pace. The times dampened hopes of an immediate return to pre-season testing form for Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc, who have been eclipsed by Mercedes in the first four races. The reigning champions have notched up four successive one-two finishes, leaving Ferrari 74 points adrift in the constructors' standings. "It's always an interesting day when you're bringing new parts to the car to get a feel for it and see if they bring the performance they should," said Bottas. "The car felt really good today, completely different to how it was in winter testing, and it seems like our cornering performance has improved. "The balance around the lap is also better, so it looks like we've taken the right direction since the winter Bottas produced his quickest lap in the day's afternoon session, a time of one minute 17.284 seconds after a 1:17.951 in the morning. Five-times world champion Hamilton was second on the timesheets, 0.049 slower than Bottas, while Leclerc was third and three tenths adrift but still ahead of Vettel who lapped in 1:17.673 on the same soft tyres. Ferrari, who dominated pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, were using a new specification engine and hoping for a step up in the first race of the traditional European part of the campaign. Vettel, third in the drivers' standings, is already 35 points behind Bottas. "I think overall we've been seeing what we expected," said the German, who was struggling for grip in the slower corners. "Certainly not as happy as we wanted to be so still a lot of homework for us. "I think engine-wise we're happy," he added. "Obviously it's Friday so a bit difficult to know what we are doing compared to other people...feeling-wise it's a different story." Bottas, who leads Hamilton by a single point thanks to his fastest lap in Australia, had missed the last half hour of the first session due to an oil leak that shut down the car and had to be investigated. Hamilton was unhappy with the performance of his car's tyres in the first session when he was fourth fastest and set his best lap on softs. "Tyre prep terrible. Rear tyres are done," the Briton said over the radio. He said later that there was work to do on the balance of the car. Romain Grosjean, who has yet to score a point this year, was fifth and sixth fastest respectively for the Haas team with McLaren's Carlos Sainz, the only Spanish driver now that Fernando Alonso has left, sixth in the morning. Red Bull's Max Verstappen, a winner in Spain in 2016, was only 12th fastest in the first session when his car had an oil leak, but moved up to fifth in the afternoon. "I have a good feeling about the upgrades, which work for sure, and the tyres seem to be working quite well, too," said the Dutchman. "The long runs were OK and we still need to find a little bit of pace, but we have the whole night to find it." Canadian Lance Stroll provided the only incident of the first practice, crashing his Racing Point into the tyre wall at turn nine and bringing out red flags to close the session.

Valtteri Bottas leads Mercedes one-two in Spanish GP practice

New Zealander Brendon Hartley lost control of his Toro Rosso car at Turn Nine and smashed into the barriers during Practice Three for Spanish Grand Prix.

Brendon Hartley was trying to gain maximum speed into Turn Nine but edged onto the dirt and crashed, destroying the rear-end of his car.

Both rear wheels and the rear of the gearbox were left hanging by their tethers, but Hartley was unhurt and responded "I'm OK" on the team's radio link.

Hartley was assisted by medical staff as he walked away from his wrecked car.

Watch the video of the crash:

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The speed with which the Toro Rosso hit the wall in Campsa, is astonishing. I'm glad Brendon Hartley got out unscathed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpanishGP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpanishGP</a> <a href="https://t.co/l4h7ffOwIG">pic.twitter.com/l4h7ffOwIG</a>
— The Caution Clock ⚠️ (@CautionClock20) <a href="https://twitter.com/CautionClock20/status/995266775007858689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Will <a href="https://twitter.com/BrendonHartley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrendonHartley</a>'s car be ready for qualifying after this big shunt in FP3?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpanishGP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpanishGP</a> ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/F1?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#F1</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZEGViMxJjS">pic.twitter.com/ZEGViMxJjS</a>
— Formula 1 (@F1) <a href="https://twitter.com/F1/status/995277552695439362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton topped the times ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the third and final free practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.

The magnitude of the crash indicates that Hartley won't be able to take part because the engineers will surely struggle and need a lot of time to rebuild the damaged car in time for qualifying which means Pierre Gasly is set to be the only Toro Rosso representative out on track for the qualifying session.

The extent of the damage to his car was evident as the recovery crane removed it from the gravel, with the engine and gearbox falling off the back. 
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New Zealander Brendon Hartley lost control of his Toro Rosso car at Turn Nine and smashed into the barriers during Practice Three for Spanish Grand Prix

New Zealander Brendon Hartley lost control of his Toro Rosso car at Turn Nine and smashed into the barriers during Practice Three for Spanish Grand Prix. Brendon Hartley was trying to gain maximum speed into Turn Nine but edged onto the dirt and crashed, destroying the rear-end of his car. Both rear wheels and the rear of the gearbox were left hanging by their tethers, but Hartley was unhurt and responded "I'm OK" on the team's radio link. Hartley was assisted by medical staff as he walked away from his wrecked car. Watch the video of the crash: The speed with which the Toro Rosso hit the wall in Campsa, is astonishing. I'm glad Brendon Hartley got out unscathed. #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/l4h7ffOwIG — The Caution Clock ⚠️ (@CautionClock20) May 12, 2018 × Will @BrendonHartley's car be ready for qualifying after this big shunt in FP3?#SpanishGP ?? #F1 pic.twitter.com/ZEGViMxJjS — Formula 1 (@F1) May 12, 2018 × Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton topped the times ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the third and final free practice for the Spanish Grand Prix. The magnitude of the crash indicates that Hartley won't be able to take part because the engineers will surely struggle and need a lot of time to rebuild the damaged car in time for qualifying which means Pierre Gasly is set to be the only Toro Rosso representative out on track for the qualifying session. The extent of the damage to his car was evident as the recovery crane removed it from the gravel, with the engine and gearbox falling off the back.

Watch: Brendon Hartley suffers horrific crash in Spanish GP practice