F1 Spanish Grand Prix second practice LIVE: Stream, start time UK, TV channel, Hamilton nabs quickest time at Practice 2

FER REAL

Can Ferrari close the gap this weekend?

WHERE THEY CAME

Lewis Hamilton impressed again during practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.

TOP TEN IN FP2

1. HAM – 1:18.170
2. BOT – Just over a tenth off
3. LEC – More evidence of Ferrari pace
4. OCO
5. ALO – Alpine looking strong
6. GAS – Most laps (32), joint with Lewis
7. TSU
8. SAI
9. VER – Six tenths off but time was on Medium tyre as Softs run ruined, ended with damaged front wing.
10. PER – Behind his team-mate despite getting Soft hot lap in.

CHEQUERED FLAG

That is time for Friday’s track time ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix!

Lewis Hamilton cruises home in the Mediums to end his race run but there was some heavy graining on his right-rear tyre on his later laps – likewise Sergio Perez.

But the hot laps on the Softs in the first half of FP2 have left the Brit on top, followed by Valtteri Bottas and Charles Leclerc.

FINAL FIVE

Fernando Alonso radioing back to the Alpine garage complaining of ‘oversteer’ but the Spaniard is sitting pretty in fifth.

And Pierre Gasly, in sixth, is warned of wind picking up across the track.

Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton averaging times in the mid 1m 22s to lead the race-pace timesheet.

GIMME ME FUEL GIMME FIRE

While we know the tyres being deployed by each car, we do not know the exact amount of fuel loaded into each car at this stage.

And the teams appear to have all filled up for practice race runs around Circuit De Barcelona-Catalunya.

TURNAROUND

Plenty of quick cars hanging further back than expected with 20 minutes to go.

Daniel Ricciardo is 15th with McLaren team-mate Lando Norris 12th, and the Red Bulls are ninth and 10th.

It is currently the Alpines and AlphaTauris making the most of that opening, all four of which are in the top seven.

SLOW BURNER

Sergio Perez was 16th but is still seven-tenths off Lewis Hamilton as he goes 10th.

Like Max Verstappen, Sector 1 was his slowest part of the track before gathering momentum later on.

Most of the pack appear to be doing the opposite – a deliberate strategy perhaps?

TOP TEN AT HALFWAY

1. HAM
2. BOT
3. LEC
4. OCO
5. ALO
6. GAS
7. SAI
8. VER
9. TSU
10. VET

FLYING DUTCHMAN

Max Verstappen, on the Softs, runs wide and tickles the gravel at Turn 10 to cancel his hot lap.

Meanwhile Nikita Mazepin and Kimi Raikkonen come out of their garages right at the same moment and almost trip over each other.

GETTING FASTER

The battle for third is on with the Soft compound plugged in for the midfield runners.

Charles Leclerc puts his Ferrari behind the Mercs and ahead of Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly.

No sign of the Red Bulls on the quickest tyres just yet.

TSUNODA PROBLEM

Yuki Tsunoda has lost power after flying over a kerb at Turn 9 – the same area Carlos Sainz broke some bodywork on.

It looks like the vibrations cut his electronics and he’s crawled back to the pits.

BACK UNDERWAY

In the meantime, Valtteri Bottas has pushed into first on another hot lap after a brief interlude behind Max Verstappen.

The Finn puts in a 1:18.419 but Lewis Hamilton is right on his tail in second, 0.042 behind.

Then it’s three-tenths back to Max Verstappen with the Alpines fourth and fifth.

VIRTUAL SAFETY CAR

A piece of shrapnel has pinged off Carlos Sainz’s front wing as he ran over a kerb.

And the stewards are slowing down the pack to allow it to be retrieved.

MERCS FIRST UP

The Mercedes cars have been much quicker than Red Bull to hammer in hot laps during practice sessions recently.

Valtteri Bottas puts in an early time which Lewis Hamilton comes in just behind, but neither driver is in the 1m 18s yet.

RACE PACE

The Medium tyres are the order of the day with a lot of race runs expected in this session.

Many of the quicker teams will also try to use the middle compound for the first rounds of qualifying tomorrow.

But the grip level still isn’t perfect for Mick Schumacher who so nearly puts it in the gravel at Turn 2 but wrestles his Haas back just in time.

GREEN LIGHT

The second practie session is underway!

Kimi Raikkonen and Mick Schumacher are first out the gate.

PRACTICE TWO

Just ten minutes to go until we start FP2 and get a good look at who will be coming out on top on Sunday afternoon.

RED-Y STEADY GO

Christian Horner believes Red Bull and Mercedes are evenly-matched going into second practice.

Max Verstappen separated Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton this morning and certainly looked like he had a lot more in the tank.

Horner told Sky after FP1: “It looks like we are very close.

“It looks good today, but the red flag was unfortunate for us, so it was not a clean session for us. The gap is only less than one tenth with Mercedes and that at a circuit where Mercedes were very good last year.

“Barcelona is a circuit that has everything and you can see that Mercedes and Red Bull are very close. We are now close today and that is of course very encouraging for us.”

WE GO AGAIN

Second practice is less than an hour away…

Check out how FP1 shaped up ahead of the afternoon’s running.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Valtteri Bottas has shown off the mobile home he lives in during race weekends since the pandemic hit.

The gorgeous Redwood 4001 LK boasts modern fittings, a kitchen, TV and much more…

Take a look here.

QUIDS IN

Lando Norris might want to think about striking a bet with his McLaren boss Zak Brown.

The Brit is currently third in the drivers’ championship just behind Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen after an excellent start to the season.

But so far his performances have failed to catch the creative mind of his McLaren chief, who is famed for his sporting wagers.

Norris said before FP1: “Sadly I don’t have any bets with Zak. I know he does with some people, but not me.

“Maybe it is because he is afraid I might achieve what he says! I know he sticks to his word. Pato O’Ward will get his McLaren F1 test after winning his IndyCar race.

“I saw with Daniel, he’s done a bet to drive a NASCAR in Zak’s private collection. Maybe he will give me a car to drive at home.

“Maybe if I am third in the championship at the end of the year, I could ask for the actual racecar, that would be lovely.”

SKID MARKS

An old head and a young head both encountered difficulties in that session.

Haas rookie Nikita Mazepin ended up in the gravel early on after losing it coming out of Turn 7.

And Robert Kubica was in for the session with Alfa Romeo but spun into the gravel at Turn 10, bringing about a late red flag.

TOP TEN FOR FP1

1. BOT – 1:18.504
2. VER – Plenty still to come despite being only 0.03 seconds back
3. HAM
4. NOR – Another strong run from the Brit
5. LEC – Ferrari in good form
6. SAI – On the Medium tyres like his team-mate
7. GAS – Most laps (26)
8. VET
9. PER – Held up by traffic on good lap
10. STR

CHEQUERED FLAG

Sergio Perez pulls out of his hot lap after encountering a Daniel Ricciardo-sized piece of traffic.

Valtteri Bottas comes back into the Mercedes garage with the quickest time, a 1:18.504.