F1 Spanish Grand Prix 2020 LIVE: Hamilton beats Bottas to pole again, Verstappen 3rd, Vettel 11th – latest updates – The Sun
LEWIS HAMILTON is on pole for the Spanish Grand Prix after edging out Valtteri Bottas again in qualifying.
But the Brit has said he is wary of the threat of Max Verstappen going into the race.
One man the race leaders won't be so worried about is Sebastian Vettel, who qualified 11th after a dismal session.
Get all the latest F1 updates from Barcelona here…
DRIVERS' STANDINGS
Here's how things look ahead of this one.
Hamilton is 30 points ahead of Verstappen at the moment with Bottas just a bit further back.
TWO METRES APART
Here's the Mercedes F1 team making light of the crash between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2016 after their catch-up earlier.
We wish they’d stayed two metres apart here in 2016 ? spanishgp pic.twitter.com/bmzyGEG8d7
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) August 15, 2020STARTING GRID
A reminder of the top 10 on the starting grid for the Spanish GP…
- Hamilton
- Bottas
- Verstappen
- Perez
- Stroll
- Albon
- Sainz
- Norris
- Leclerc
- Gasly
TBGP
Here's a Spanish Grand Prix throwback for you: a stunning start from Fernando Alonso back in 2011.
Starts don't get much better than this ?spanishgp ?? @alo_oficial pic.twitter.com/coFdiXTMbK
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 15, 2020HAMILTON AND ROSBERG CATCH UP
Former teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have been seen catching up ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Hamilton starts on pole while Rosberg is in attendance as part of Sky's race coverage.
Spotted ?
Lewis and Nico having a natter ? spanishgp ?? f1 pic.twitter.com/BwIsgdW7AR
— Formula 1 (@F1) August 15, 2020WARY WOLFF
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff knows his team have to be wary of the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.
He said: “We need to have a clever race, manage it from the front, knowing the quickest car on track will likely be behind us with Verstappen.”
Mercedes start today's Spanish Grand Prix with Lewis Hamilton is on pole and Valtteri Bottas starting second, while Red Bull's Verstappen starts just behind them in third.
EYE ON THE BULL
Lewis Hamilton fears a Red Bull resurgence today despite him and Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas locking out the front row.
Polesitter Hamilton said: “It's going to be really hard tomorrow,. The Red Bulls I think are a little bit quicker than us in race trim.
“It's strange how we're quick in qualifying but then in the race they close the gap massively and the tables turn a little bit.
“But we're ahead of them [on the grid], so hopefully we can still apply the pressure a little bit and hold position.”
GOOD MORNING F1 FANS
Neither Lewis Hamilton nor Valtteri Bottas improved on their final laps in an anticlimactic end to qualifying but the pair qualified first and second respectively for today's Spanish Grand Prix.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen, winner of last week's 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, qualified in third, while Racing Point duo Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll will start fourth and fifth on the grid respectively.
Alex Albon qualified sixth ahead of McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris.
Sebastian Vettel will start Sunday's race way back in 11th as his Ferrari continues to cause him problems.
Hamilton was pleased with his pole position in Spain despite not putting in a particularly impressive lap.
He said: “Physically, it's tough. It's so fast around here – the fastest we've ever been around here.
“You see us crawling around out here… it's to keep the tyres co.
“I couldn't go quicker on my second lap, but my first one was decent. These guys do such an awesome job.
“I was here until 10pm last night, looking at where we can improve because these Red Bulls are super fast.”
Bottas was annoyed with himself after a slow sector three saw him qualify second behind Hamilton.
He said: “I knew it was going to be close with Lewis. I struggled all day with sector three.
“It's annoying, but he did a good job. The start will be the best opportunity for me. I'll try to get there [turn one] first.”
TOP DOGS
A reminder of the Top 10 for the Spanish GP…
- Hamilton
- Bottas
- Verstappen
- Perez
- Stroll
- Albon
- Sainz
- Norris
- Leclerc
- Gasly
MAX POWER
Max Verstappen is confident he can make the most of his third-place start in Spain.
He said: “It's the maximum we can do at the moment – all weekend we have been P3. I just hope we can be a bit closer in the race.
“I just hope I can apply a bit of pressure, we will do everything we can to be close and make it difficult.”
HOT STUFF
Valtteri Bottas admits it was a tough drive in the Barcelona heat.
He explained: “It's the first time we've been in Barcelona and it's this hot. Physically it's tough.
“The tyres are what we're really struggling with – you see us crawling around the out laps to keep temperature out the tyres but even so they get hot so quickly.
“I couldn't go quicker on my second lap. I thought I could but it wasn't a decent lap. The first was decent.”
QUALIFYING ROUND-UP
Neither Lewis Hamilton nor Valtteri Bottas improved on their final laps in an anticlimactic end to qualifying but the pair qualified first and second respectively for tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen, winner of last week's 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, qualified in third, while Racing Point duo Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll will start fourth and fifth on the grid respectively.
Alex Albon qualified sixth ahead of McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris.
Sebastian Vettel will start Sunday's race way back in 11th as his Ferrari continues to cause him problems.
ANOTHER MERCEDES POLE
Lewis Hamilton beat teammate Valtteri Bottas to pole position by just 0.059 seconds and the result makes it EIGHT Mercedes poles at the Spanish GP since 2013.
We ❤️ @Circuitcat_eng! ?
That’s spanishgp Pole No. 8️⃣ for the Team since 2013!! ? pic.twitter.com/Ic2Aath5fe
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) August 15, 2020VETTEL AT A LOSS
Sebastian Vettel was understandably disappointed to qualify in 11th place for tomorrow's Spanish GP.
The German explained how his Ferrari had struggled through the middle sector of the race.
He told Sky Sports: “There the car started to be more and more nervous.
“Turn 5 was also very tricky for me. It got better towards the end but still tricky to find the right balance.“There are some things I can't put an answer to but I am trying to do everything I can and ignore the things that may not be right.”
BOTT-LED IT
Valtteri Bottas was annoyed with himself after a slow sector three saw him qualify second behind Lewis Hamilton.
He said: “I knew it was going to be close with Lewis. I struggled all day with sector three.
“It's annoying, but he did a good job. The start will be the best opportunity for me. I'll try to get there [turn one] first.”
REIGN IN SPAIN
Lewis Hamilton was pleased with his pole position in Spain despite not putting in a particularly impressive lap.
He said: “Physically, it's tough. It's so fast around here – the fastest we've ever been around here.
“You see us crawling around out here… it's to keep the tyres co.
“I couldn't go quicker on my second lap, but my first one was decent. These guys do such an awesome job.
“I was here until 10pm last night, looking at where we can improve because these Red Bulls are super fast.”
HAMILTON IS ON POLE FOR THE SPANISH GP
The top 10 is Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, Perez, Stroll, Albon, Sainz, Norris, Leclerc and Gasly.
Hamilton's 150th front-row start comes thanks to his first run.
BOTTAS IS ON A FLYER…
And Hamilton is not improving. And neither is Bottas.
Hamilton is on pole for the Spanish GP. His first lap is good enough.
HERE WE GO
Final attempts at qualifying for the Spanish GP.
Hamilton looking strong. Can Bottas sneak it?
Sainz and Albon will be hoping for more than they showed in their first attempts.
BOTTAS DRAWS FIRST BLOOD…
But Hamilton again goes quicker to take P1 and provisional pole.
Bottas in P2 and then Verstappen.
Then the two Racing Points.
Q3 IS GO
Hamilton vrsBottas.
Can Verstappen get P3?
And will Racing Point trouble the Red Bull man?
VETTEL IS OUT
The four time world champion is given the flick – again.
He is booted out of Q2 and will start in 11th. Ouch.
Kvyat, Ricciardo, Raikkonen and Ocon also out.
Well done to Pierre Gasly, who makes it in to the top 10.
FINAL SECONDS OF Q2
Vettel, Ocon, Gasly, Kvyat and Raikkonen are in the drop zone.
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