Sir Lewis Hamilton: From Stevenage to seven-time F1 world champion
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes team-mate George Russell will try to recover from a dramatic qualifying session on Saturday as they look to hunt down Max Verstappen in today’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Hamilton will start fourth following a bizarre coming together with Russell, who lines up in 12th, at the end of Q2 at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.
Meanwhile, Verstappen took another pole position as he finished four-tenths clear of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, with Lando Norris an impressive third for McLaren. Pierre Gasly claimed fourth for Alpine – but was then given two three-place grid penalties – with home favourite Fernando Alonso setting off from eighth in his Aston Martin.
Russell will start one place behind Sergio Perez after the Red Bull driver also failed to make it out of Q2. Perez is Verstappen’s closest challenger in the championship but a week on from his horror show in Monaco where he finished 16th and two laps down, he qualified only 11th here. Continuing the shock results from qualifying, Charles Leclerc, who started this race from pole position last year, will line last but one on the grid as Ferrari’s woes show no sign of letting up.
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Here we go!
All cars have left the grid cleanly on their formation laps. Verstappen on the mediums while Sainz, Norris and Hamilton are on the softs just behind him.
The start is moments away!
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 14:01
Ten minutes to go!
Laura Andres performs the National Anthem time with a piano solo and we’re underway in just under ten minutes.
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:50
P2 up for grabs
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff quickly chats to Sky Sports: “Depending on the cloud cover or not, depending on degradation, everyone can play for P2.”
He’ll certainly be hoping Lewis Hamilton will be one of those in the mix.
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:49
Work underway on Lando’s car
As Martin Brundle makes his way through the grid, there appears to be plenty of mechanics working on Lando Norris’ car – doesn’t make for a promising visual that is for sure.
“All good for now – they’ve not told me anything. That’s either a good thing or a bad thing, I don’t know,” Norris says as he’s caught quickly by Brundle.
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:44
Russell into the gravel
A closer look at Russell’s spin-off into the gravel a moment earlier.
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:39
“Car is fine” – Russell
It appears George Russell’s car has come out of that trip into the gravel unscathed.
“All good, the car is fine,” Russell says speaking to Sky Sports trackside just now.
“Just pushing the limits. I was trying some wide lines because when you’re racing you’re often not on the racing line.
“Hopefully not too many other drivers so what happened to me and it happens to them on Lap One.”
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:28
Rain in the air?
It looks hot down at trackside, but the weather radars are certainly suggesting the possibility of some dark clouds and rains which could certainly make tyre strategy a bit more intriguing as we head towards the back end of the race.
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:26
Russell in the gravel
Far from the ideal start for the Mercedes driver, who ends up off the track after turn five of his practice lap to the grid. The same gravel caused serious trouble for Fernando Alonso in qualifying yesterday and caused noticeable damage to the bottom of his Aston Martin car.
No doubt the Brit will head back into the pit to get that checked out before we start.
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:25
Can anyone stop Verstappen?
The Red Bull driver stormed to pole position in qualifying and looks set to dominate the race from the onset.
The reigning world champion has won four out of six races this year and looks well placed to make that five from seven with his teammate and closest rival, Sergio Perez, languishing in 11th.
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:21
Lando Norris expects to be lapped despite third-place start
Perhaps the biggest surprise from qualy yesterday was the performance of Lando Norris. The McLaren took full advantage of mistakes elsewhere and set his own impressive time to finish third.
Despite that, the Brit isn’t exactly confident of his chances heading into today’s race.
Speaking to media yesterday, he said: “It’s going to be a tough one, not just with Red Bull, they’re probably the easy people to race against. It’s going to be the Ferraris, the Astons, the Mercedes, the Alpines, the Haas… the grid.
“Those cars are probably too quick for us and Sergio Perez is going to cruise past everyone and probably be P2 by lap 10 and we’ll get lapped twice. I’m optimistic when I say that, could be three times.
“So, I think we’re still in a tight race with people but our race is not necessarily the Red Bulls.”
(AP)
Ben Fleming4 June 2023 13:15