Race Notes - Hamilton takes fourth win in a row

Lewis Hamilton once again dominated, winning the Spanish Grand Prix today over his Mercedes GP team mate Nico Rosberg by 0.6 seconds to take his fourth victory in a row.

Daniel Ricciardo takes third place (48.3s) in the Red Bull-Renault to take his first career podium (after having been disqualified after Australia). World Champion Sebastian Vettel (27.6 in the Red Bull finished in fourth, followed by Valteri Bottas in the Williams-Mercedes in fifth, Fernando Alonso (8.4s) in the Ferrari in sixth, his team mate Kimi Raikkonen (1 lap) in seventh, Romain Grosjean in the Lotus-Renault in eighth, Sergio Perez in the Force India-Mercedes in ninth, and his team mate Nico Hulkenberg in the final points paying position in tenth.

Hamilton's victory is his fourth win in the first five races, and he now overtakes Rosberg in the Driver‘s Championship. It is Hamilton first win in Barcelona, and his 26th career victory.

On the way to the grid Vettel complains that he has a lot of understeer and tyre locking, and thinks something might be broken in his Red Bull‘s suspension.

The Mercedes' of Hamilton and Rosberg have dominated practice and qualifying, and Hamilton starts again from pole.

The drivers have the choice of the Pirelli orange striped hard and white striped medium compound tyres. Look for most drivers to run a three-stop strategy.

All drivers are starting on the medium tyres except for Vergne, on hard tyres.

Hamilton starts on pole with Rosberg alongside. Ricciardo and Bottas in the second row, Grosjean and Raikkonen on the third row, and Alonso and Button starting from the fourth row.

Vergne was penalised 10 grid positions for an unsafe pit release earlier in the weekend.

The drivers line up on the grid, and the lights come on for the start with Hamilton on pole.

At the start Hamilton leads Rosberg, Bottas jumps to third with Ricciardo fourth, Grosleam, Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa an Hulkenberg following.

Magnussen and Vettel touch but continue. Maldonado and Ericsson make contact as well, but continue.

At the end of the first lap Hamilton leads Rosberg by 1.1 seconds, followed by Bottas, Ricciardo, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso Mass, Hulkenberg and Perez.

On lap 2 Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m32.010 seconds. Magnussen asks the team if he has any front wing damage.

On lap 5 Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m31.913 seconds, and has a 2.0 second lead.

Ricciardo is closing on Bottas in third place.

On lap 7 Ricciardo looks to make a pass on the inside of the first corner, but can‘t pull it off. Ricciardo is within the DRS activation zone, but is not able to take advantage of it so far.

On lap 9 Button passes Gutierrez for 12th. Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m31.876 seconds.

On lap 10 Vettel makes an outside pass of Gutierrez for 13th. Hamilton sets another fast lap at 1m31.776s.

At lap 10 Hamilton leads Rosberg by 2.3 seconds followed by Bottas (12.9s), Ricciardo (1.0s), Grosjean (2.0s), Raikkonen (1.9s), Alonso (0.7s), Massa (1.2s), Hulkenberg (2.8s) and Perez (1.1s) in tenth place. Vettel runs in 13th place.

Button is told by McLaren to stay on Plan A.

On lap 13 Vettel pits, switching to the hard compound tyres - quite an early stop.

After backing off for a few laps, Ricciardo has closed back up on Bottas in third.

On lap 14 Magnussen passes Gutierrez for 13th. Ricciardo pits from fourth and stays on medium tyres. and rejoins in Vettel passes Kobayashi for 19th place.

On lap 15 Grosjean and Massa pit from sixth and seventh, both staying on medium tyres. Maldonado pits and serves a stop/go penalty

On lap 16 Alonso pits from fifth and stays on medium tyres. Ricciardo passes Kvyat for eighth. Rosberg cuts Hamilton‘s lead to 1.6 seconds.

On lap 17 Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Button, Sutil and Chilton all pit. Ricciardo passes Perez for fourth.

On lap 18 Hamilton, Perez, Kvyat and Gutierrez all pit. Hamilton stays on medium tyres, with a slightly slow stop. Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m31.667 seconds. Ericsson pits.

At lap 20 Rosberg leads Hamilton by 20.1s, followed by Bottas (11.0s), who pits, Ricciardo (7.8s), Grosjean (13.9s), Raikkonen (2.0s), Alonso (1.4s), Massa (1.3s) Vettel (1.7s), and Hulkenberg (1.6s) in tenth place.

On lap 21 Rosberg pits from the lead and switches to hard tyres and rejoins behind Hamilton. Bianchi pits as well, Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m30.804 seconds.

On lap 22 Hamilton leads his team mate Rosberg by 3.7 seconds.

On lap 24 Raikkonen attempts a pass on Grosjean but can‘t pull it off.

Vergne tells the team that his exhaust is broken, and retires in the pits.

On lap 25 Raikkonen tries to pass Grosjean again, and this time takes the Lotus easily for fifth place. Alonso passes Grosjean as well the next lap for sixth.

On lap 27 Rosberg is maintaining the gap to Hamilton to 2.8 seconds on the harder tyres. Hamilton complains of oversteer.

On lap 29 Mass pits from 11th place, switching to hard tyres.

At lap 30 Hamilton leads his team mate Rosberg by 4.5 seconds, followed by Ricciardo (22.1s), Bottas (10.8s). Raikkonen (5.6s), Alonso (1.9s), Grosjean (5.0s), Vettel (2.2s), Hulkenberg (1.3s) and Perez (0.7s) in tenth place.

On lap 32 Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m30.763 seconds, at the halfway point in the race.

On lap 34 Vettel pits from tenth place, switching back to medium compound tyres.

On lap 36 Grosjean pits from eighth and switches to hard tyres. Kobasyashi has an off at the first corner, and complains of brake problems. Alonso pits from sixth place and switches to hard tyres. Kobayashi pits. Vettel sets fast lap at 1m29.774s.

On lap 37 Hulkenberg, Button, Kvyat and Gutierrez all pit. Alonso passes Magnussen into the first corner. Ericsson and Raikkonen are under investigation for ignoring blue flags. Vettel passes Magnussen for seventh place.

On lap 38 Perez and Maldonado both pit.

At lap 40 Hamilton leads Rosberg by 3.7 seconds, followed by Ricciardo (31.9s), Bottas (13.1s), Raikkonen (7.1s), Alonso (15.2s), Vettel (2.3s), Massa (8.3s), Magnussen (1.5s) and Grosjean (0.8s) in tenth place.

On 41 Massa passes Magnussen for eighth place.

On lap 42 Magnussen ad Ericsson both pit. Bianchi also pits. Mercedes radios Hamilton to pit, but he stays out for another lap.

On lap 43 Hamilton pits and takes on the hard compound tyres, with a slightly slow stop with problems with the rear. He rejoins in second place. Rosberg complains of tyre graining.

On lap 44 Raikkonen pits and switches to hard tyres. He rejoins in seventh behind Vettel.

On lap 45 Rosberg pits from the lead, switching to medium tyres, rejoining behind Hamilton. Ricciardo and Bottas both pit from third and fourth. Ricciardo switches to hard tyres. Bottas falls behind Alonso and Vettel.

On lap 47 Massa pits staying on hard tyres.

On lap 49 Hamilton set another fast lap at 1m29.759 seconds.

At lap 50 Hamilton continues to lead over Rosberg by 3.1 seconds, followed by Ricciardo (37.5s), Alonso (8.3s), Vettel (1.9s), Bottas (7.2s), Raikkonen (7.4s), Grosjean (7.1s), Hulkenberg (2.8s) and Perez (0.4s) in tenth place.

On lap 51 Rosberg sets fast lap at 1m29.236 seconds, closing to 2.3 seconds behind the leader. Magnussen passes Kvyat for 12th place. Perez passes his team mate Hulkenberg on the outside of the first corner for ninth place.

On lap 53 Vettel pits from fifth and rejoins in seventh place behind Raikkonen.

On lap 54 Alonso pits from fourth place, taking on medium tyres, rejoining behind Vettel. Kvyat pits as well. Vettel sets fast lap at 1m28.942 seconds.

Hamilton complaining of graining on his left front tyre. The gap to Rosberg is 2.1 seconds.

On lap 56 Vettel sets another fast lap at 1m28.918 seconds. Vettel closes and passes Raikkonen for fifth place.

On lap 58 Rosberg closes to 1.8 seconds of Hamilton in the lead, and to 0.9 seconds the next lap, the two Mercedes drivers navigating traffic. Alonso closing on Raikkonen.

At lap 60 Hamilton leads Rosberg by 1.3 seconds, followed by Ricciardo (45.9s), Bottas (22.2s), Vettel (1,4s), Raikkonen (8.5s), Alonso (0.4s),Grosjean (15.6s), Perez (1.4s) and Hulkenberg (5.5s) in tenth place.

On lap 61 Alonso continues to chase his team mate Raikkonen, but isn‘t able to make an attempt.

On lap 62 Rosberg closes to 1.1 seconds behind leader Hamilton. Vettel closes on Bottas in fourth.

On lap 64 Alonso pressures Raikkonen, and passes his team mate into the fourth corner for sixth position. Rosberg is now 0.7 seconds behind Hamilton.

Going into the final lap Hamilton leads Rosberg by 0.6 seconds. Rosberg chases but does not have enough to pass Hamilton.

Hamilton wins over Rosberg and Ricciardo.