Race Notes - Hamilton wins in Spain

by Mark Karp

Lewis Hamilton fought back to win the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona in his Mercedes GP, after Sebastian Vettel took the early race lead in his Ferrari to finish in second place, 3,4 seconds behind. Daniel Ricciardo ran a lonely race to finish in third place in his Red Bull, 75.8s behind the winner.

Hamiltons victory is his second on the season, and 55th of his career. Vettel still leads the drivers championship by six points over Hamilton.

Sergio Perez (1 lap down) in the Force India-Mercedes was fourth, his team mate Esteban Ocon was fifth, Nico Hulkenberg in the Renault was sixthm Pascal Wehrlein in the Sauber-Ferrari was seventh, Carlos Sainz in the Toro Rosso-Renault was eighth, his team mate Daniil Kvyat was ninth and Romain Grosjean in the Haas-Ferrari finished in tenth.

Before the start Hamilton is on pole, with Vettel alongside, Bottas and Raikkonen fill out row two, the two Red Bulls of Verstappen and Ricciardo on row three, Alonso and Perez on row four and Massa and Ocon rounding out the top ten.

Over the last ten seasons we have had ten different winners in Barcelona.

At the appointed time, the drivers took the formation lap, the lights went out and the race began with Vettel taking the lead ahead of Hamilton, Bottas is squeezed and hits Raikkonen, who in a chain reaction hits Verstappen on the outside of turn 1 - Raikkonen and Verstappens cars have damage. Alonso is touched by Massa and runs wide but continues. At the end of lap one Vettel leads Hamilton by 2.4 seconds, followed by Bottas, Ricciardo, Perez, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Sainz, Grosjean and Alonso in 11th.

Raikkonen and Verstappen retire in the pits, Palmer pits and switches to soft tyres.

On lap 2 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m26.210 seconds.

On the third lap Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m25.892s. Magnussen passes Sainz for eighth place.

On lap 7 Hamilton follows Vettel by 2.5s and tells the team, ºIts not easy to keep up with him¹.

On lap 8 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m25.806s.

Sainz continues to battle with Magnussen, trying to come back at the Haas.

At lap 10 Vettel leads Hamilton by 2.3s, followed by Bottas (10.8s), Ricciardo (18.6s), Perez (27.4s), Ocon (32.0s), Hulkenberg (35.9s), Magnussen (36.0s), Sainz (41.1s) and Grosjean (43.4s) in tenth place.

Alonso and Stoll both pit. Vandoorne pits as well.

Sainz and Magnussen both pit at the same time, and the two battle side-by-side coming out of the pits.

Om lap 14 race leader Vettel pits for another set of soft tyres.

On lap 15 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m25.701s.

Sainz passes Kvyat for 12th place.

On lap 16 Vettel sets fast lap at 1m24.901s.

Ocon pits. Alonso battles to pass Kvyat for 13th.

On lap 19 Perez pits, along with Ericsson. Grosjean pits from fifth and rejoins in 11th.

At lap 20 Hamilton leads Bottas by 10.7s followed by Vettel (14.2s), Ricciardo (27.6s), Perez (61.3s), Wehrlein (62.9s), and Ocon.

The next lap Hamilton pits from the lead switching to medium tyres and rejoins in third. Ricciardo pits from fourth and switches to medium tyres as well.

On lap 24 Vettel catches the tail of Bottas, who is still on his first set of tyres. Vettel battles and passes Bottas into the first corner to take the lead. Hamilton passes Bottas the next lap and trails Vettel by 4.1s.

On lap 27 Bottas pits and switches to medium tyres continuing in third place.

Bottas sets fast lap at 1m24.696s.

At lap 30 Vettel leads Hamilton by 6.1s, followed by Bottas (28.5s), Ricciardo (39.9s), Perez (54.4s), Ocon (61.7s), Wehrlein, yet to stop, (71.1s), Hulkenberg (72.9s), Magnussen (75.9s), Sainz (78.6s) in tenth place.

Pm lap 33 Alonso pits for medium tyres.

On lap 34 Massa and Vandoorne bang wheels and the McLaren is damaged. The virtual safety car is deployed, and several cars pit

On lap 37 Hamilton pits, and the virtual saftety car period is over.

Vettel pits the next lap for medium tyres. Hamilton and Vettel come out side-by-side Vettel taking the lead on medium tyres.

On lap 39 Bottas is out with an apparant engine failure.

On lap 40 Ricciardo sets fast lap at 1m23.686s.

Hamilton chases Vettel, half a second behind the Ferrari.

On lap 44 Hamilton passes Vettel in the DRS zone into turn 1 to take the lead, setting fast lap at 1m23.663s.

Hamilton tells the team that he needs to get away from Vettel because he will be quick at the end of the race.

Wehrlein is handed a five-second penalty for not staying right of the pit entry bollard.

Ferrari tells Vettel that Hamiltons rear tyres might be overheating.

At lap 50 Hamilton leads Vettel by 2.3s, followed by Ricciardo (57.5s), Perez (77.6s), Ocon (1 lap), Hulkenberg, Wehrlein, Sainz, Magnussen and Kvyat in tenth place.

Ferrari asks Vettel if they should switch to place C, and Vettel responds, ºI dont know, he doesnt seem to be using his tyres all out¹.

On lap 56 Ericsson passes Stroll for 12th place.

Sainz is chasing Wehrlein for seventh place.

At lap 60 Hamilton leads Vettel by 2.9s followed by Ricciardo (66.2s), Perez (1 lap), Ocon, Hulkenberg, Wehrlein and Kvyat in tenth place.

On lap 65 Magnussen has a slow puncture and needs to pit, dropping out of the points.ris

The order remains the same to the line, Hamilton winning over Vettel and Ricciardo.