Lap 12/66: Verstappen overtakes Perez for P3, but the radio says his DRS lid has not opened. Another technical problem for Red Bull …?
Lap 11/66: So Verstappen is fourth, behind Perez, Russell and Leclerc, who has avoided any drama so far and has a clear lead of 10 seconds. Sainz makes a pit after his turn. Norris passes Schumacher for P7.
Tour 9/66: Verstappen hits the gravel! He was all alone, entering the fourth turn — just like Science minutes before — and Russell and Perez walked past him as he drove back toward the track like a disoriented vacationer.
Lap 8/66: Ocon climbed to seventh place, with both alpinists having fun so far, and Alonso ahead of Vettel for P13. Perez chases Russell for P3
Lap 6/66: Carlos Sainz spins, no one is near him and hits the gravel! A nightmarish start for him as he dropped the order to P11.
Lap 4/66: “Louis knew what he was doing. He hit me, “Magnussen said on the radio. Steward’s verdict: a racing accident. Even further back, Alonso passes Stroll for P14.
Lap 3/66: Hamilton and Magnussen touched wheels when the Dane tried to get around his opponent, but did not do enough – the stewards will look, but this is a terrible start for Hamilton, although better for his teammate: Russell is third , after Perez. Sainz’s poor start was due to the fact that he almost immediately gave up stopping. Leclerc sits quite high, 1.3 seconds clear.
Updated at 14.11 BST
Lap 2/66: Both Perez and Russell crawled past Sainz on a frantic first lap, leaving the Spaniard back on his fifth. Hamilton felt with a puncture and switched to soft. So much for the media.
Tour 1/66: And here we go! It’s a long old way to turn one – Leclerc cuts Verstappen on the road and when he gets there, he keeps his lead around the corner. Hamilton and Magnussen collide on the fifth turn and Magnussen turns into the gravel. Hamilton survives, but his car is damaged?
Lewis Hamilton has a breakthrough in the first lap. Photo: Joe Portlock / Formula 1 / Getty Images
Updated at 14.22 BST
The cars go around the formation, with almost every driver starting with a soft mixed tire, as you would expect. Every driver has one thing: Hamilton is on the media.
Updated at 14.02 BST
Starting grid:
1) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari2) Max Verstappen, Red Bull3) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari4) George Russell, Mercedes5) Sergio Perez, Red Bull6) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes7) Valteri Botas, Alfa Romero Daclau Schumacher, Haas11) Lando Norris, McLaren12) Esteban Ocon, Alpine13) Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri14) Pierre Gasley, AlphaTauri15) Guanyu Zhou, AlfaRomeo16) Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin17) Lance Martin Stall8) Lance Strang8)
Toto Wolff does not underestimate the effect of the heat: “I think that whoever melts the tires at least will win the race – any plan we have will go to waste anyway, because whether it has two stops, three – Stop or four stops, we’ll find out. As if to prove his point, Sergio Perez gets an impromptu hose shower run.
… and the half-funny drama of the week:
Not so long after that. Here is a little reading before yesterday’s qualifying competition …
Newcastle United legend Patrick Kluivert is among the celebrities watching today. “I love Lewis, he stands for good things,” he said after wearing a Sky collar. He directed City for the league, and Sergio Aguero is also among today’s spectators. A coincidence? Certainly not.
The greatest striker in the history of Newcastle United. Photo: Owen Humpyreys / PA
Updated at 13.53 BST
Here is Fernando Alonso, who triumphed on this chain – even nine years ago: “I have nothing to lose and it can only get better if we start last, so we will be aggressive and see the result. I hope that Carlos can give something extra, starting from the front, and for my part I will try to make a good show today. “
Sainz says driving the tires will be key and he is right: the track today is blazing 48 degrees and we expect a two-stop race. Here’s what’s on offer:
What about home drivers? Carlos Sainz starts in a great place, third in the grid and has never failed to finish in points here. “It’s a decent position,” he said. “I think the key will be the beginning, the management of the tires.
As for Fernando Alonso, he started from the back after a penalty from the engine and 17th place in qualifying. The fact that his five races this season have led to two withdrawals and only one finish point is unlikely to bode well: he can be satisfied with the last one here.
It is hot in Catalonia – well over 30 degrees – so all eyes will be on the strategy for drivers’ tires this afternoon. All three best teams equipped both pilots with two new media sets and one hard drive.
Meanwhile, here’s what Verstappen had to say about losing strength in yesterday’s qualifying round: “It’s always hard to say, but I couldn’t do my last run, or the DRS didn’t open, or I just lost power. It’s a bit unfortunate, but overall I think being at the forefront for us here, looking at the whole weekend so far, I think was a good achievement. “
Preamble
After the pump and show business of Miami, it’s time to play at the Circuit de Catalunya, where Max Verstappen wants to chase Charles Leclerc in the standings and on the tarmac with a third consecutive victory in the GP. The Dutchman, who triumphed in Miami and Emilia-Romagna in cold blood, seems to have got back on his feet after the disastrous start of the season, but his task today is huge.
His Monegasque rival, with a 19-point lead in the standings, circled the circuit with an all-powerful lap yesterday to beat Verstappen halfway through. The way he turned on his first run – and the fact that he never performed better than fourth place in this circuit – will give hope to his competitors, although the fact that Verstappen’s car lost power in the last lap will bring unwanted flashbacks from the start – seasonal breakdowns that made him play catch-up.
Both the drivers ‘and constructors’ championships are beginning to take the form of two-horse racing, with Ferrari and Red Bull accelerating away from the latter’s pursuit package. They are desperately trying to eliminate every league of their own vibes, the Mercedes team, which has been messing up so far this season, finding no answer to the guinea pig problem caused by the new regulatory restrictions.
Yesterday, however, there were hints that they may be preparing to appear at the party, George Russell and Lewis Hamilton invested their best combined qualification for the season. “We’ve definitely moved on, which is great,” Hamilton decided after finishing second behind his teammate in sixth.
The other entertainment of the week came thanks to Aston Martin, whose modernized car has a design strikingly similar to Red Bull. The fact that two senior aerodynamics left Red Bull for Aston Martin last year has prompted Christian Horner to complain about the suspicious appearance of a “very close clone” that has since been dubbed the “Green Red Bull” and Horner’s team spent Friday’s training session sharply. of green Red Bull boxes in a grand small protest. Watch this space.
Updated at 1:16 p.m. BST
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