Explainers

LEWIS HAMILTON has won the Spanish Grand Prix after a brilliant tussle with Max Verstappen in Barcelona.The Brit strengthens his grip in the Driver’s Championship after taking this race for a record SIXTH time.

Live result: 1st Hamilton 2nd Verstappen 3rd Bottas 4th Leclerc

Stay up to date with all the latest from Barcelona in our live blog below…

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RACE RESULTS
Here’s the Spanish GP result.
Lewis Hamilton’s late charge has given him his third victory of the season.
He needs just two more to reach 100 wins.
Max Verstappen was second and Valtteri Bottas finished in third.

KING OF SPAIN – LEWIS HAMILTON WINS THE SPANISH GP
A perfectly executed strategy to win this race as Verstappen had lead from the first corner of the first lap right up until lap 60.
But with seven laps to go, Hamilton passed the Red Bull man for glory. The Dutchman gets a bonus point for setting the fastest lap.
Bottas in third place ahead of Leclerc. Perez in fifth. Ricciardo in sixth.
LAP 63 VERSTAPPEN SETS FASTEST LAP
He is on for a bonus point, which is scant consolation given he was leading until the last seven laps.
LAP 61
Verstappen pits for tyres as he gets new tyres and has a shot at setting the fastest lap and earning the bonus point.
LAP 60
Hamilton gets Verstappen. He passes him in to Turn One and in to the lead.
Good job that all round from Mercedes.
LAP 57
Bottas gets past Leclerc and in to third place. It is Verstappen, Hamilton, Bottas, Leclerc, Perez, Ricciardo, Sainz, Ocon, Norris, Alonso.
HAMILTON GETS PAST BOTTAS
Back to Hamilton verses Verstappen. The Red Bull man leads for the time being but his tyres are shot.
LAP 52
Bottas told not to hold Hamilton up. But the Finn ignored the order. Hamilton had to pull off an overtake to get past his team mate.
RUSSELL HUNTING FOR POINTS

LAP 49
Verstappen is 16 seconds ahead of Hamilton. Still 16 laps to go.
LAP 48
Verstappen says: “I don’t see how we are going to make it to the end.”
HAMILTON GETTING CLOSER TO VERSTAPPEN

HAMILTON STOPS FOR TYRES
The Brit darted in to the pits at the last minute on lap 44 to stop for tyres.
He will lose time but of course now had fresh tyres. Verstappen now has to get to the end on these tyres.
This is shaping up for a great final.
VERSTAPPEN VERSUS HAMILTON
This is turning into an epic fight. Maybe not the most exciting on track battle but intriguing nonetheless. Final laps will be exciting.
QUESTIONS OVER MERCEDES STRATEGY
After Red Bull’s slow stop of 4 seconds, Mercedes could have called in Hamilton for tyres on the following lap.
Had they done that, he would be in the lead. At the moment, however, he is behind Verstappen but is quicker and on fresher tyres.
LAP 28
Hamilton called in for tyres. It is a solid stop that takes 2.7 seconds.
That has put Verstappen back in front.
HAMILTON HELD UP BY MAZEPIN
Toto Wolff complaining to Race Control that the Russian was holding his driver up.
Hamilton now prolonging his stint on his first set of tyres. It means he will have fresher tyres late in the race.
HAMILTON TURNS UP THE WICK
He has put pressure on Verstappen, who stops for tyres. Red Bull, usually so reliable with their pitstops, make a slow one. Almost four seconds.
That has given Hamilton a huge advantage. He has stayed out on track and is now blasting out the laps on his remaining tyres.
LAP 21
The top two are pulling away from the rest of the field. This is a great battle between them.
Fourth race of the season and the fourth time they have slugged it out. Great stuff.
Ignore the top two and the fight for third – Leclerc versus Bottas – is also close.
Ricciardo, Perez, Ocon, Sainz, Norris, Stroll is the top 10.
LAP 17
Verstappen v Hamilton. Just 1.2 seconds in it. But this is a two-horse race. These two are relentless. Thumping out the laps, despite having a heavy fuel load.

LAP 11 RACE RESTART
Safety Car is in and the racing resumes. Verstappen keeps the lead. Leclerc stays in front of Bottas.
Stroll passes Alonso to move in to 10th place.
UNLUCKY FOR TSUNODA

TSUNODA HAS STOPPED ON TRACK – SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
He is getting out of his AlphaTauri after it conked out. The Safety Car has been deployed while a crane will be used to recover his stricken motor.
This will reel in Verstappen’s advantage. And give Bottas a good chance of getting past Leclerc.
LAP 6
Verstappen still holds that 1.4 second gap, which keeps him out of the DRS zone. Hamilton on P2.
Leclerc is in P3 and holding off Bottas in fourth. The Finn is like a sinking ship.
LAP 1
Verstappen has pulled a 1.2 second gap on Hamilton. He is absolutely motoring.
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F1 is BACK this weekend as Lewis Hamilton aims for a third win in four races at the Spanish Grand Prix – and the Brit is back on pole. The English star has been bested just once this season, by Max Verstappen at the Emilia Romagna GP in March.

GET HUGE 20/1 OFFER ON LEWIS HAMILTON TO PODIUM

What channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

ALL of the F1 action from Friday to Sunday will be shown live on the Sky Sports F1 channel.
Coverage of the Grand Prix will begin at 12.30pm on Sunday, May 9.
You can live stream all of the action from the NOW TV or Sky Go app, both of which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.

FULL F1 Spanish Grand Prix schedule
Friday, May 7

Spanish GP Practice One – 10.30am
Spanish GP Practice Two – 2pm

Saturday, May 8

Spanish GP Practice Three – 11am
Spanish GP Qualifying – 2pm

Sunday, May 9

Spanish Grand Prix – 2pm

Stay up to date with all the latest from Barcelona in our live blog…

ICYMI – LEW BEAUTY
Lewis Hamilton was overjoyed after clinching his 100th pole position this afternoon.
He said: “P3 was looking really good, we have been strong all weekend. I made some changes, I had a bit of anxiety about the changes we were going make. You always try to make them better but it’s a bit of a gamble. It was my call in the end.
“We made this change and as soon as I got out it was immediately: ‘This is the wrong way.’ That’s why I was behind the whole way through qualifying.
“I was making changes all the way through to try to elevate the pace.
“I can’t believe we are at 100. It’s down to the men and women back at the factory who are just continuing to raise the bar and never giving up. It has been a dream to work these guys. Who would have thought when I made the move at the end of 2012 that we would get to 100? I am ecstatic, like it’s my first.
“The set-up that I made I just had so much understeer. The car was very lazy and wouldn’t turn around the corners in the way I wanted.
“I was making small adjustments within what we are able to change to get the car to turn and then it is just pulling everything together. It was my cleanest lap. I will always remember that.”
100 POLES! I can’t even begin to describe how this feels. I can’t thank the team and everyone back at the factory enough for everything they’ve done to help us secure this incredible milestone. I feel so humbled and very grateful. This feels like my first win all over again 🙌🏾💯 pic.twitter.com/KkCgShdhq2— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) May 8, 2021

YEARS IN THE MAKING
It turns out you can achieve a lot in 5,000 days!
Take a look at Lewis Hamilton’s first pole all the way back in 2007, compared to his hundredth earlier today.

LEW MUST BE KIDDING
After Lewis Hamilton sealed his stunning 100th pole position this weekend at the Spanish GP, feast your eyes on his astonishing record down the years.
His consistency is something quite phenomenal!

‘ABSOLUTELY STAGGERING’
Fans and pundits alike have been left awestruck by Lewis Hamilton’s remarkable achievement of reaching 100 poles this afternoon.
And Matt Gallagher put it about as well as anyone.
Lewis Hamilton again proving why he’s one of the greatest of all time. 100 pole positions is absolutely staggering. We’re witnessing history right before our eyes.I hope whether you love or hate him, you can at least appreciate what he’s achieving in the sport we all love.— Matt Gallagher (@MattyWTF1) May 8, 2021

ONE HUNDRED NOT OUT
Lewis Hamilton earned pole position for the hundredth time in his career today, edging out Max Verstappen in Spanish GP qualifying.
Here’s his 100th pole lap in full, for your viewing pleasure.

‘I CAN BE HAPPY’
Max Verstappen has spoken, after being beaten to pole position by Lewis Hamilton this afternoon.
The Red Bull star said: “Both laps were pretty decent, the second run was a little worse for whatever reason but second for us here on this track is very good today.
“We know they are hard to beat around here but to be that close I can be very happy with that.”
Max Verstappen wasn’t too downhearted after being beaten to poleCredit: Reuters
LEW BEAUTY
Lewis Hamilton was overjoyed after clinching his 100th pole position this afternoon.
He said: “P3 was looking really good, we have been strong all weekend. I made some changes, I had a bit of anxiety about the changes we were going make. You always try to make them better but it’s a bit of a gamble. It was my call in the end.
“We made this change and as soon as I got out it was immediately: ‘This is the wrong way.’ That’s why I was behind the whole way through qualifying.
“I was making changes all the way through to try to elevate the pace.
“I can’t believe we are at 100. It’s down to the men and women back at the factory who are just continuing to raise the bar and never giving up. It has been a dream to work these guys. Who would have thought when I made the move at the end of 2012 that we would get to 100? I am ecstatic, like it’s my first.
“The set-up that I made I just had so much understeer. The car was very lazy and wouldn’t turn around the corners in the way I wanted.
“I was making small adjustments within what we are able to change to get the car to turn and then it is just pulling everything together. It was my cleanest lap. I will always remember that.”
Lewis Hamilton reached a special milestoneCredit: Rex
HAMIL-TON
Report by SunSport’s Ben Hunt
Lewis Hamilton clinched a 100th career pole position as he beat world championship rival Max Verstappen in Saturday’s qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
It was the Red Bull driver who looked to be primed to top the leaderboard in the final round of qualification after showing good pace early on.
But despite Hamilton failing to improve on his first run in the dying moments of qualifying, Verstappen could not find the pace to clinch pole as he had to settle for second, three hundredths of a second off his British rival.
Click here to read more of Ben’s report from Spanish Grand Prix qualifying.
WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT!
It’s a pole with a difference for Lewis Hamilton this weekend.
What an amazing achievement by the Brit.
100 POLES! I can’t even begin to describe how this feels. I can’t thank the team and everyone back at the factory enough for everything they’ve done to help us secure this incredible milestone. I feel so humbled and very grateful. This feels like my first win all over again 🙌🏾💯 pic.twitter.com/KkCgShdhq2— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) May 8, 2021

QUALIFYING RE-CAP
Lewis Hamilton clinched a 100th career pole position as he beat world championship rival Max Verstappen in Saturday’s qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
It was the Red Bull driver who looked to be primed to top the leaderboard in the final round of qualification after showing good pace early on.
But despite Hamilton failing to improve on his first run in the dying moments of qualifying, Verstappen could not find the pace to clinch pole as he had to settle for second, three hundredths of a second off his British rival.
Valtteri Bottas secured third place in the other Mercedes, while Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc impressed again in fourth.
Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez was down in eighth behind Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo.
Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel missed out on the final round of qualification once more as he could only manage 13th.

HAMILTON TAKES POLE POSITION FOR THE SPANISH GP.His 100th in F1. Astonishing.
VERSTAPPEN IS DOWN ON HIS LAP TIME
A Hamilton makes a mistake but it is enough for pole.
HAMILTON GOES FIRST
And he is quicker. His sector times are better than his pervious best.
TWO MINUTES TO GO
Busy track for the final runs of Q3. Could be traffic issues here.
FIVE MINUTES TO GO
And it is Hamilton then Verstappen but just 0.036 seconds in it!
The Bottas, Ocon, Sainz, Ricciardo, Leclerc, Norris, Alonso and then Perez, who has yet to set a time.
BLOW FOR PEREZ AND HAMILTON
The Mexican spun and caused Hamilton to lift on his flying lap.
But Hamilton still takes provisional pole. He has more in the tank though.

GREEN LIGHT – WE ARE GO FOR QUALIFYING FOR THE SPANISH GP
Verstappen going for his first pole in Spain.
Hamilton going for his sixth in Spain, and his 100th in F1.
HAMILTON VERSES VERSTAPPEN FOR POLE

ASTON MARTINS ELIMINATED
Both Stroll and Vettel are OUT of Q2. Russell, Giovinazzi and Gasly are also eliminated from qualifying.
No real shocks here, despite it being Gasly’s first failure to reach the top 10. Alpine are looking resurgent.
IN THE ELIMINATION ZONE – FOUR MINUTES TO GO
Russell, Giovinazzi, Vettel, Perez and Ocon are in the bottom five.
STONKING FIRST RUN IN Q2 FROM VERSTAPPEN, WHO IS TOP
He is half a second up on second-placed Bottas. That will have Mercedes worried. They could have shown their hand here.
What can Mercedes do in response? That Red Bull looks dialled in.
GREEN LIGHT Q2 IS GO – BOTTAS IS FIRST OUT
Aside from Russell and Giovinazzi, who else will fail to make the top 10 shoot out. Both Aston Martins looking vulnerable.
ELIMINATED FROM Q1
Mazepin, Latifi, Schumacher, Raikkonen and Tsunoda are all booted out at the first hurdle.
NORRIS LEAVES IT LATE
The McLaren man was held up during qualifying but he is in to Q2 after topping the session.
IN THE DROPZONE
Mazepin, Latifi, Schumacher, Stroll and Raikkonen are all in the drop zone with around three minutes to go.
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