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F1 LIVE: Spanish Grand Prix practice times and results as Lewis Hamilton shows improvement and Leclerc fastest

F1 LIVE: Spanish Grand Prix practice times and results as Lewis Hamilton shows improvement and Leclerc fastest

Follow live updates from the opening day of action at the Spanish Grand Prix, as Formula One returns to the Circuit de Catalunya for practice ahead of the sixth race of the season this weekend. The talk among the paddock is all about Mercedes, after the team reportedly held a secret testing session in an attempt to figure out their performance struggles and catch up on the early pace set by Red Bull and Ferrari.

F1 teams allow for two filming days a year where teams can run up to 100km in their current cars, enabling them to trial new upgrades, and Ferrari are also said to have used one of them this week as they look to hit back and halt Red Bull’s momentum. After holding off the late challenge of Charles Leclerc in Miami, Max Verstappen has won two races in a row to cut the lead at the top of the standings and the defending champion looks to be in ominous form for the rest of the field.

Today’s practice sessions will offer clues as to whether the upgrades implemented by Ferrari and Mercedes have been successful, as Lewis Hamilton clings to the hope of once again challenging at the top of the leaderboard. The seven-time world champion has expressed frustration with the lack of pace and comes into the Spanish Grand Prix 68 points behind championship leader Leclerc. Follow live updates from Spanish Grand Prix practice, below:

Spanish Grand Prix live updates

  • Charles Leclerc fastest in FP2 in Barcelona

  • Improving Mercedes right behind with Russell 2nd and Hamilton 3rd

  • Ferrari topped FP1 as Leclerc goes fastest

  • Better from Mercedes who seem to be suffering less with porpoising

  • Mercedes hold secret test in bid to close gap

  • Aston Martin accused of copying Red Bull in their car red-design

Red Bull concerned Aston Martin have compromised IP with controversial new car, says Christian Horner

Friday 20 May 2022 18:36 , Luke Baker

Christian Horner says that Red Bull are determined to get to the bottom of Aston Martin’s controversial new car design, after accusations of copying emerged ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

Aston Martin arrived at the Spanish Grand Prix with a series of upgrades to its AMR22 which have completely revamped its design. The sidepod, halo, front and rear wings, and engine cover of the Aston Martin have been completely revised in a way which means they now bear an uncanny resemblance to Red Bull’s RB18, which has won three of the opening five races of the season.

The Silverstone-based squad ran the new design for the first team during Friday practice at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, with Sebastian Vettel finishing eighth fastest at the end of the second session, significantly higher than the backmarker team had been running earlier in the season.

The re-design means the new AMR22 looks wildly different to its predecessor, but motorsport governing body the FIA approved its usage on Thursday, and Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack defended its design during practice on Friday.

Red Bull concerned that Aston Martin have compromised IP with new car, says Horner

Alonso blasts F1 race control and stewards as ‘incompetent’ after Miami penalties

Friday 20 May 2022 18:24 , Dan Austin

Fernando Alonso has slammed Formula 1’s stewards and the FIA’s new race control setup, calling the officiating in the top tier of motorsport “incompetent” and “not very professional”.

Alonso, 40, is the most experienced driver on the F1 grid and is set to overtake former Ferrari and Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen’s record of 349 grand prix starts during the course of the 2022 campaign, but has been left unimpressed with the new structure put in place by FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem, who was elected to replace the outgoing Jean Todt last December.

“We saw a couple of things already that proves that [race control] still need to improve a lot,” he said. “You need to have some knowledge about racing before being a race director or trying to monitor a race. I don’t think that knowledge is in place at the moment. I know there is a new race director here. Freitas has a lot more experience with WEC and other categories at the top level and I think that will already improve things.”

You can read the full story below:

Fernando Alonso blasts F1 race control as ‘incompetent’ after Miami penalties

Stroll rejects suggestion Aston Martin copied Red Bull with new design

Friday 20 May 2022 18:14 , Dan Austin

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll has defended Aston Martin’s revamped Formula 1 car design, which has been criticised for its striking resemblance to the Red Bull.

Having poached head of aerodynamics Dan Fallows from Red Bull, the team has brought a car to this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix which looks identical to the Red Bull other than its green livery.

“I’ve heard some people say that [it is a copy of the Red Bull],” the Canadian explained. “We really did our job back at the factory, we designed it over the winter and we brought it to the track this weekend. It’s down the hard work of our guys to bring it here, it’s been flat out for the past few months to get it here. Hopefully a big improvement.”

You can read the full story below:

Lance Stroll rejects suggestion Aston Martin copied Red Bull with new design

De Vries admits F1 dream after ‘nervous’ first outing with Williams

Friday 20 May 2022 18:04 , Dan Austin

Formula E world champion Nyck de Vries says his goal is still to join Formula 1 in the near future, after enjoying a successful first practice runout with the Williams team in Barcelona ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

The 27-year-old is one of the most highly-rated drivers in motorsport outside of F1, having won the 2019 Formula 2 championship before securing the Formula E crown at the end of 2021, and has served as a reserve and development driver for the Mercedes team alongside Stoffel Vandoorne since last season.

“I would be lying if I said Formula 1 isn’t my goal, it is the pinaccle of our sport. I’m enjoying what I’m doing in Formula E and the World Endurance Championship. Time will tell really, the most important thing is to do my job on track and earn my opportunities.”

You can read the full story below:

Nyck de Vries admits F1 dream after ‘nervous’ first outing with Williams

George Russell fears ‘health consequences’ of porpoising in F1

Friday 20 May 2022 17:54 , Dan Austin

George Russell fears Formula One drivers could be exposed to long-term head trauma if the sport’s ‘porpoising’ phenomenon is not resolved.

The British driver compared the new-for-2022 sensation - when the car violently bounces on its suspension at high speed - to football’s dementia problem.

A recent study showed former professional footballers are three-and-a-half times more likely to die from the disease than the general population.

You can read the full story here:

George Russell fears ‘health consequences’ of F1’s porpoising problem

Horner says Red Bull will pursue FIA over Aston Martin design

Friday 20 May 2022 17:44 , Dan Austin

Christian Horner says that his Red Bull are determined to get to the bottom of Aston Martin’s controversial new car design which bears a striking resemblance to his own team’s, after accusations of copying emerged ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

“Immitation is the biggest form of flattery,” he told Sky Sports F1. “It’s no conincedence that we’ve had a few individuals who have transferred to Aston Martin over the winter and recent months. The FIA brought it to our attention earlier this week, which raises alarm bells. What [the staff who have gone to Aston Martin] take in their head is fair game, that’s their knowledge. What is unacceptable is if there has been any transfer of IP at all.

“I’m not going to disclose exactly where we are with certain individuals. it would be a criminal offence. IP is a team’s lifeblood. We will have an internal investigation, we have our own software protections and how that is controlled. It is the job of the regulator, the FIA, to make sure there has been no transfer of IP or abuse of that. What we want to ensure is that no IP has in any way transferred from one organisation to another, because that would be a breach of the rules. We will work with the FIA, it’s down to them. It’s the precedent it sets. It’s not an issue for us unless Aston Martin start beating us, it’s the midfield teams who this could make a material difference to. If any evidence of foul play came to light, it becomes a different issue.”

The Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona is frequently used for testing in F1 thanks to its mix of corners at different speeds, and Horner says that the car has a stronger influence than the driver here.

“The driver will always make an element of difference, but the car makes a huge difference here,” he told Sky Sports F1. “It’s quite a complex track and the driver difference is probably more limited. This is a higher downforce circuit, you can see the updates others have brought along, and it’s very, very close. Mercedes turned things up on saturday in Miami, we don’t if they’ve done that again today.”

‘Progress but not ecstasy,” says Wolff

Friday 20 May 2022 17:34 , Dan Austin

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has also been discussing the progress his team seems to have made, and in particular sought to give praise to the chassis and engine factories at Brackley and Brixworth which appear to have delivered an improved car for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to drive this weekend.

“Both factories have worked so hard,” Wolff explained. “We have gained ground on the other engine manufacturers, and I’m so proud. We have to see if we can maintain that pace tomorrow and see if we can at least be in the top three. [The car] is better, but still not that the drivers feel comfortable in the high speed corners. Progress but not exuberance and ecstasy!”

Hamilton ‘super happy’ with Mercedes’ progress in Spain

Friday 20 May 2022 17:24 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton says he is “super happy” with the progress Mercedes seem to have made in Spain today.

“Positive! I’m super happy with the progreess, so big thank you to everyone for not giving up,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “We’re not the quickest, but we’re on our way. It’s the first time I’ve driven down the straight without bouncing. So... starting to eek into the potential of the car. It’s still tough but much nicer than it’s been before. I’m greatful for those upgrades and now we need to fine tune them. I think we can get it into an even better place for tomorrow to snap at the heels of those in front.”

Russell refusing to get too excited about Mercedes improvement

Friday 20 May 2022 17:14 , Dan Austin

It may have looked form the outside as though Mercedes took a signifcant step forward in that second practice sessions, but George Russell is remaining calm is still wary of Red Bull, despite finishing up second fastest behind championship leader Charles Leclerc.

The Mercedes seemed to suffer far less from porpoising and had stronger straight line speed.

“In Miami we were quickest on Friday, so let’s see,” he told Sky Sports F1. “The car is reacting differently [to before]. We don’t have the porpoising on the straight which is good, but there still some in the corners which needs to be dialled out. Red Bull still look very strong, they’re the team to be reckoned with.

“There’s differences with power modes I think, so they’ve got a bit on us there. The degradation was masisve for everybody so that is where the race is going to make or break. It will be two stops as a minimum for everyone.”

Full laptimes as Leclerc goes fastest in FP2 in Spain

Friday 20 May 2022 17:07 , Dan Austin

Charles Leclerc has been fastest in both FP1 and FP2 out in Barcelona this afternoon, and you can see how far behind him each driver was in the second session below:

1 Charles LECLERC 1:19.670

2 George RUSSELL +0.117

3 Lewis HAMILTON +0.204

4 Carlos SAINZ +0.320

5 Max VERSTAPPEN +0.336

6 Fernando ALONSO +0.533

7 Sergio PEREZ +0.962

8 Sebastian VETTEL +1.033

9 Esteban OCON +1.075

10 Mick SCHUMACHER +1.087

11 Pierre GASLY +1.247

12 Kevin MAGNUSSEN +1.343

13 Lance STROLL +1.579

14 Yuki TSUNODA +1.615

15 Daniel RICCIARDO +1.715

16 Valtteri BOTTAS +2.158

17 GuanyuZHOU +2.196

18 Alexander ALBON +2.649

19 Nicholas LATIFI +3.527

20 Lando NORRIS +3.718

Leclerc tops practice again as Mercedes seem to take big stride forward

Friday 20 May 2022 17:03 , Dan Austin

The second practice session of the day has drawn to a close and once again Charles Leclerc has finished top of the leaderboard in his impressive-looking Ferrari.

The Monegasque has been quickest in both of today’s runs, with the upgrades the Scuderia have brought to Spain seemingly working a treat. Here, the gap to Max Verstappen in fifth was once again over three tenths of a second.

The other major story is the improvement Mercedes appear to have made, with George Russell second fastest and Lewis Hamilton in third.

It may only be Friday, but Toto Wolff and co. will be hugely encouraged by the straight line speed improvement and decreased porpoising intensity of the W13.

Alpine looking quick in Alonso’s hands

Friday 20 May 2022 17:00 , Dan Austin

As FP2 draws to a close, Fernando Alonso’s performance in the Alpine is worth nothing.

The 40-year-old currently sits sixth on the timesheets, splitting the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez on the same soft tyre.

The two-time world champion will be desperate to put in a strong performance in front of his home crowd, and is over half a second faster than team-mate Esteban Ocon, 0.5s off leader Charles Leclerc.

Norris to miss rest of session with damaged floor

Friday 20 May 2022 16:46 , Dan Austin

Lando Norris’ day is over out in Barcelona, thanks to a damaged floor caused by him running his McLaren wide over the kerbs.

The 22-year-old ran wide along the outside of the entry to Turn 9 in Spain, and was immediately on the team radio to report a very bumpy ride over the kerb.

McLaren are now taking the car apart in order to assess the damage, and Norris will not be back out on track again today.

Mercedes take significant step towards front

Friday 20 May 2022 16:37 , Dan Austin

Now then, this is interesting...

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have delivered a couple of impressive looking laps, free from any significant porpoising, and both drivers are now in the top three.

Russell’s time takes him just over a tenth behind current leader Charles Leclerc, with Hamilton a further tenth behind.

Is this Mercedes finally finding the potential which has been locked inside the W13? Let’s see if these times hold up at the end of the session.

Vettel sets intriguing laptime for Aston Martin

Friday 20 May 2022 16:27 , Dan Austin

Sebastian Vettel has set a fast time in the revamped and controversial Aston Martin car.

The four-time world champion is second on the leaderboard touring the circuit on soft tyres, and is just over seven tenths behind leader Carlos Sainz, who also used the soft rubber.

A delta of seven tenths to pole position might still sound like a lot, but that would be a significant improvement for Aston Martin and could put it at the top of the midfield alongside the likes of Mercedes and McLaren if that pace holds up into qualifying.

Binotto relishing title fight with Red Bull

Friday 20 May 2022 16:24 , Dan Austin

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says the Scuderia are “enjoying” the F1 title fight with Red Bull, and are not worried about the upgrades their rivals are bringing to Spain.

“Today so far is very tight, very challenging, very tense,” he told Sky Sports F1. “A lot of data will be collected, analysed. Barcelona is always a very difficult challenge and the baalnce is always tight, but so far interesting.

“With six races in the championship we all start learning them and using them to the maximum potential, so we can start assessing the competition between teams. It will be an important weekend to assess our own competitiveness.

“We are enjoying the fight and being there after so long. It is great for us to be leading the championship and battling on the track. Not nervous because the potential is there. I know [Red Bull] are very strong so I will never be shy on that, but we can go well as well and we will concentrate on ourselves.”

De Vries reveals nerves prior to first FP1 outing

Friday 20 May 2022 16:18 , Dan Austin

Nyck de Vries has swapped the Williams garage for the commentary box this afternoon, and has been speaking about his experience driving the FW44 in his first ever Formula 1 practice session.

“I can admit I was quite nervous today, we put a lot of time into preparing for this opportunity,” De Vries explained on Sky Sports F1. “Every young driver dreams of racing in Formula 1 . My Dad was in the grandstand and so was my mum. they have lived the journey with me and they wanted to be here to witness that first opportunity.”

“The hard compound was very tough, it was difficult to get into the window. But it gave me an opportunity to do multiple laps at the beginning. We then used the qualifying tyre, and I wasn’t happy with my position on the track, but generally we did a very decent job.”

“I don’t know [if or when I will join F1],” he added. “Recently we’ve been very occupied with Formula E and this [practice] opportunity. But we’ll see, and for now I’m very happy with this opportunity. I think there is more to come from my side.”

“I would be lying if I said Formula 1 isn’t my goal, it is the pinaccle of our sport. I’m enjoying what I’m doing in Formula E and the World Endurance Championship. Time will tell really, the most important thing is to do my job on track and earn my opportunities.”

Bottas stops at side of circuit and virtual safety car is out

Friday 20 May 2022 16:13 , Dan Austin

Valtteri Bottas has pulled over to the side of the road just after Turn 1, and the virtual safety car is out.

The Alfa Romeo was thundering along the pit straight but just prior to braking a puff of smoke emerged from the rear, a crunching sound emitted from the gearbox, and the electronics on the dashboard shut off.

Now the cars are running at a slower speed until the marshals can clear the stricken car away.

Verstappen takes early lead after first runs

Friday 20 May 2022 16:09 , Dan Austin

The pacesetters have been out on circuit setting their first representative times of the session, and so far it’s Max Verstappen and Red Bull who have the advantage.

The Dutchman tops the timesheets by just under five hundredths of a second to Carlos Sainz, with Charles Leclerc also under a tenth behind the leader.

Leclerc vcan definitely go faster than that, as he was struggling significantly with tyre temperatures causing the rear of the car to slide throughout the final sector.

FP2 begins in Spain

Friday 20 May 2022 16:03 , Dan Austin

The second practice session of the day is now underway out in Spain, with Sergio Perez the first man out on track in his Red Bull after handing over the reigns to Juri Vips for the earlier running.

Both Aston Martins are out on circuit early doors too, and it will be very interesting indeed to see what the pace of their Red Bull clone looks like.

Key stories to look out for in FP2

Friday 20 May 2022 15:51 , Dan Austin

FP2 will begin in just under ten minutes, and there are some key stories to be keeping an eye on over the course of the hour.

Firstly, Sergio Perez, Alex Albon and Guanyu Zhou will be driving their own cars for the first time this weekend, after Juri Vips, Nyck de Vries and Robert Kubica took their respective places for the first sessions earlier this afternoon.

The row over Aston Martin’s revamped AMR22 and its likeness to the Red Bull RB18 is likely to continue, but whether it leads to a significant pace increase remains to be seen, with both Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel still languishing down the order in FP1.

Ferrari were over three tenths faster than Red Bull a few years ago, and a similar delta here could mean the Scuderia are set to dominate the weekend.

Team will be refining the setups they are going to use in qualifying and the race, and it will be interesting to see whether Mercedes’ impressive showing from earlier, when their porpoising seemed significantly less intense, continues.

Fastest times from FP1 as Ferrari set the pace

Friday 20 May 2022 15:41 , Dan Austin

We’re just under 20 minutes away from the start of Friday’s second practice session, so here’s a quick reminder of the fastest times from the first period of running earlier this afternoon.

Ferrari were significantly faster than the Red Bull, with the upgrades they have brought to Spain seemingly working a treat so far.

The full list of fastest times for all 20 drivers who took part are below:

1 Charles LECLERC 1:19.828

2 Carlos SAINZ +0.079

3 Max VERSTAPPEN +0.336

4 George RUSSELL +0.762

5 Fernando ALONSO +0.940

6 Lewis HAMILTON +0.983

7 Lando NORRIS +1.451

8 Pierre GASLY +1.594

9 Daniel RICCIARDO +1.909

10 Yuki TSUNODA +1.986

11 Esteban OCON +2.063

12 Lance STROLL +2.092

13 Robert KUBICA +2.147

14 Kevin MAGNUSSEN +2.26

15 Mick SCHUMACHER +2.31

16 Sebastian VETTEL +2.33

17 Valtteri BOTTAS +2.786

18 Nyck DE VRIES +3.092

19 Nicholas LATIFI +3.183

20 Juri VIPS +4.310

Stroll rejects suggestion Aston Martin copied Red Bull with new design

Friday 20 May 2022 15:31 , Dan Austin

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll has defended Aston Martin’s revamped Formula 1 car design, which has been criticised for its striking resemblance to the Red Bull.

The AMR22 has been completely revamped from the version which raced in Miami, with an entirely different design on the sidepods, halo, floor, and front and rear wings, which all look identical to the concept Red Bull has been running since the start of the season.

“I’ve heard some people say that [it is a copy of the Red Bull],” the Canadian explained. “We really did our job back at the factory, we designed it over the winter and we brought it to the track this weekend. It’s down the hard work of our guys to bring it here, it’s been flat out for the past few months to get it here. Hopefully a big improvement.”

Lance Stroll rejects suggestion Aston Martin copied Red Bull with new design

Aston Martin deliver radical, controversial upgrades for Spanish Grand Prix

Friday 20 May 2022 15:21 , Dan Austin

Aston Martin have unveiled a radically different car ahead of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix as the team desperately look to address their performance issues this season.

The team have altered their sidepod design and have brought in a new floor, while changes have also been made to the rear wing and radiators in an attempt to fix their problems with ‘porpoising’.

The design is coming under severe scrutiny though due to its striking resemblance to the frontrunning Red Bull car.

You can raed the full story here:

Aston Martin deliver radical upgrades for Spanish Grand Prix

Schumacher could be replaced by ‘queue’ of potential F1 drivers at Haas, warns Steiner

Friday 20 May 2022 15:11 , Dan Austin

Haas team principal Gunther Steiner says “a queue of drivers” could potentially replace Mick Schumacher if the German’s Formula 1 performances don’t improve.

The 23-year-old Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, is one of only two full-time drivers who have failed to score at least one point in the opening rounds of the 2022 season, alongside Williams’ Nicholas Latifi.

“You don’t have forever in Formula 1,” Steiner told Sport Bild in Germany. “There is a queue of drivers who want to drive in your place. I am sure that Mick is aware that no one will wait for him. He’s working very hard at it, but it’s very difficult. Formula 1 is not an easy business but I do see Mick going in the right direction.”

You can raed the full story below:

Mick Schumacher could be replaced by ‘queue’ of drivers, warns Gunther Steiner

Alonso blasts F1 race control and stewards as ‘incompetent’ and ‘not very professional’

Friday 20 May 2022 15:01 , Dan Austin

Fernando Alonso has slammed Formula 1’s stewards and the FIA’s new race control setup, calling the officiating in the top tier of motorsport “incompetent” and “not very professional”.

Former race director Michael Masi was sacked by the FIA in the wake of the controversy surrounding the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of last year. In his place, the FIA hired alternating race directors in Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, who moved across from equivalent roles in the DTM series and World Endurance Championship respectively, but Alonso is unimpressed so far.

“We saw a couple of things already that proves that [race control] still need to improve a lot,” he said. “You need to have some knowledge about racing before being a race director or trying to monitor a race. I don’t think that knowledge is in place at the moment. I know there is a new race director here. Freitas has a lot more experience with WEC and other categories at the top level and I think that will already improve things.”

You can read the full story here:

Fernando Alonso blasts F1 race control as ‘incompetent’ after Miami penalties

Red Bull mock Aston Martin over revamped car design

Friday 20 May 2022 14:59 , Dan Austin

Limited edition green cans of Red Bull were spotted on the team’s pitwall during FP1, in a not-so-subtle nod to the ‘Green red Bull’ Aston Martin have brought o Spain this weekend.

The gag has continued on social media, and the team really isn’t letting Aston Martin get away with their controversial redesign quietly...

Charles Leclerc leads Ferrari one-two in first practice at Spanish Grand Prix

Friday 20 May 2022 14:51 , Dan Austin

Championship leader Charles Leclerc edged out Carlos Sainz as Ferrari completed a one-two in first practice for the Spanish Grand Prix.

Leclerc, who heads Max Verstappen in the standings by 19 points, saw off Sainz by 0.079 seconds at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

World champion Verstappen finished third, one spot ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell with Lewis Hamilton sixth – almost one second off the pace. Two-time world champion and home favourite Fernando Alonso split the Mercedes cars.

You can read the full prctice report here:

Charles Leclerc leads Ferrari one-two in first practice at Spanish Grand Prix

Mercedes seem to have improved in Spain

Friday 20 May 2022 14:41 , Dan Austin

Mercedes will have been pleased with their running in FP1 at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Their W13 car was still 0.75s off the pace of the fastest time set by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, but both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton seemed to be suffering from far less intense porpoising at high speeds than in previous races.

The upgrades the team has brought to Spain are designed to make the car more stable and allow them to run it closer to the ground in order to increase its downforce, and this was a positive starting point.

Red Bull release statement on Aston Martin’s controversial new design

Friday 20 May 2022 14:31 , Dan Austin

Red Bull have released a statement on the revamped Aston Martin design, which bears a striking resemblance to their own car.

The FIA earlier said it had conducted a thorough inspection of the new AMR22 and had cleared it to compete this weekend, but Red Bull are not willing to drop the matter just yet.

“Red Bull Racing have noted the FIA’s statement with interest,” the Red Bull statement reads. “While imitation is the greatest form of flattery, any replication of design would obviously need to comply with the FIA’s rules around ‘Reverse Engineering’. However, should any transfer of IP have taken place that would clearly be a breach of regulations and would be a serious concern.”

Krack defends Aston Martin design against accusations of copying Red Bull

Friday 20 May 2022 14:21 , Dan Austin

Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack has defended the team’s revamped car design, which has been criticised for its striking similarity to the Red Bull.

He insists that the design is legal, and has arisen from the team’s own work.

“We bring upgrades all the time,” Krack told Sky Sports F1. “Sometimes they are more visible, sometimes less visisble. This is another step in terms of development, we hope to bring the car forward and this will be the same for the next events. With the high temperatures we took it a little bit easy today to not burn anything, we don’t have a lot of spares.

“It was just a normal dveelopment process. We had a lot of porpoising difficulties with the other car, so we said at one point we need to change. We needed to make a little update and that’s we did. You have to ask Red Bull if they have a problem with our car. We have been open, honest and transparent.”

“We want to do better than last year and improve at every event. There is no magic, you just have to try and bring the car further forward.”

Full leaderboard at end of FP1

Friday 20 May 2022 14:11 , Dan Austin

The full list of times from FP1 at the Spanish Grand Prix is below:

1 Charles LECLERC 1:19.828

2 Carlos SAINZ +0.079

3 Max VERSTAPPEN +0.336

4 George RUSSELL +0.762

5 Fernando ALONSO +0.940

6 Lewis HAMILTON +0.983

7 Lando NORRIS +1.451

8 Pierre GASLY +1.594

9 Daniel RICCIARDO +1.909

10 Yuki TSUNODA +1.986

11 Esteban OCON +2.063

12 Lance STROLL +2.092

13 Robert KUBICA +2.147

14 Kevin MAGNUSSEN +2.26

15 Mick SCHUMACHER +2.31

16 Sebastian VETTEL +2.33

17 Valtteri BOTTAS +2.786

18 Nyck DE VRIES +3.092

19 Nicholas LATIFI +3.183

20 Juri VIPS +4.310

FP1 ends with Ferrari fastest

Friday 20 May 2022 14:04 , Dan Austin

That’s the end of the first of today’s two practice sessions, and Ferrari will be pleased as their two drivers are at the head of the leaderboard.

Championship leader Charles Leclerc is just under a tenth of a second ahead of home favourite Carlos Sainz in second, with Max Verstappen a further three seconds behind in third.

Then come George Russell, fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.

De Vries performing well for Williams

Friday 20 May 2022 13:58 , Dan Austin

With Mercedes pulling out of Formula E at the end of the current season, Nyck de Vries is looking for a new career path in 2023, and is doing a good job of impressing potential F1 suitors so far this afternoon.

The Dutchman is driving in a Friday practice for the first time, and is two tenths of a second faster than team-mate Nicholas Latifi as things stand.

The 27-year-old was heavily linked with a Williams race seat last season, and could still potentially replace the Canadian alongside Alex Albon next season if team principal Jost Capito sees fit.

Vips being used for data gathering by Red Bull

Friday 20 May 2022 13:49 , Dan Austin

Formula 2 driver Juri Vips is in the second Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen for this afternoon’s first practice sessions, and will be hoping to impress his bosses in the hopes of securing a seat with the AlphaTauri team in the near future.

The Estonian is currently last on the timing leaderboard, but that doesn’t quite tell the full story. He is currently over nine seconds off the time set by Charles Leclerc, which is because the team appears to have tasked him with simply gathering data so far in the session, rather than testing the real pace of the car.

Ferraris leading after switch to soft tyres

Friday 20 May 2022 13:47 , Dan Austin

All teams are now really testing their ultimate pace for the weekend by ditching the hard tyres in favour of the softs, which are the least durable on offer but also the quickest.

Ferrari have seen the biggest benefit, with Charles Leclerc currently fastest on the leaderboard, less than a tenth ahead of team-mate Carlos Sainz in second.

Max Verstappen is 0.35s behind in third, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell in fourth and Alpine’s Fernando Alonso in fifth.

Mercedes not too far off Ferrari so far in Spain

Friday 20 May 2022 13:31 , Dan Austin

Mercedes are hoping for a big improvement from the revamped floor they have brought to Spain this weekend, and the evidence so far looks positive.

George Russell has set a competitive time up in fourth, and is just over a tenth behind the pace set behind Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.

Max Verstappen is a further eight tenths of a second ahead at the top of the timing sheets, though, with the fastest times so far set on the hard tyre.

Stroll defends Aston Martin's Red Bull mimicry and claims team designed two cars

Friday 20 May 2022 13:26 , Dan Austin

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll has defended Aston Martin’s revamped car design, which has been criticised for its striking resemblance to the Red Bull.

The 23-year-old, the son of billionaire team owner Lawrence Stroll, also claimed the team built two cars over the course of the winter break.

“I’ve heard some people say that,” the Canadian explained. “We really did our job back at the factory, we designed it over the winter and we brought it to the track this weekend. It’s down the hard work of our guys to bring it here, it’s been flat out for the past few months to get it here. Hopefully a big improvement.

“We designed two cars over the winter. The first one wasn’t as competitive as we wanted it to be, so now we’re trying this one.”

Vettel yet to set a time due to exhaust problem

Friday 20 May 2022 13:21 , Dan Austin

Sebastian Vettel has only managed a single outlap in this session so far, during which he had the enormous rake attached to the back of his Aston Martin.

The reason for that is some sort of issue to do with the exhaust pipe, which prevented the German from carrying on.

The four-time world champion is getting back into the car to go out and set a time now.

Verstappen into pits with minor issue

Friday 20 May 2022 13:17 , Dan Austin

Max Verstappen has been forced to pull into the pits with a peculiar issue.

The Dutchman is on the team radio to say that the mirror on the left-hand side of his Rb18 appears to be dropping, and that it isn’t providing him the visibility he needs on circuit.

This should be a relatively quick fix for Red Bull, who have had their fair share of reliability problems so far this season.

Paint and rakes on display in Spain

Friday 20 May 2022 13:07 , Dan Austin

Nine teams have brought upgrades to Spain this weekend in order to try and improve their speed for the rest of the season, and this first practice session will be about measuring the improvement those developments are providing.

Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin has an enormous set of metal rakes over the rear wheels, which will be measuring how air is moving over and off the rear of the car.

For Williams, Nicholas Latifi’s FW44 is covered in red flo-vis paint, which is another method of measuring airflow and aerodynamic efficiency.

FP1 begins in Spain

Friday 20 May 2022 13:03 , Dan Austin

The action is underway out in Barcelona, with the crowd giving a rapturous reception to Carlos Sainz as he begins his outlap in the Ferrari F1-75.

Juri Vips is already out on track for Red Bull in place on Sergio Perez, while Robert Kubica is on circuit in the Alfa Romeo too.

The Aston Martin does look very different indeed.

Practice about to begin in Spanish

Friday 20 May 2022 12:54 , Dan Austin

The first practice session of the weekend is about to get underway in Spain, with plenty of big stories to look out for.

First and foremost, every team except Haas has brought a raft of upgrades to the Circuit de Catalunya, so who will be a taking a big step forward? Ferrari are reportedly confident their developments could be worth just under half a second per lap.

Aston Martin seem to have completely copied Red Bull’s design, meanwhile, so it will be interesting to see if their pace has significantly improved.

Juri Vips and Nyck de Vries will also be making their F1 debuts in run outs with Red Bull and Williams respectively.

Hamilton believes Mercedes can win with current car

Friday 20 May 2022 12:47 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton says he believes that the Mercedes W13 has the potential speed to be able to win races, but the team hasn’t been able to figure out how best to harness it.

The 37-year-old is a lowly sixth in the championship standings going into the Spanish Grand Prix, having been unable to fight for race victories so far this campaign in a car which is suffering from intense porpoising and is slower through the corners than the Ferrari and Red Bull.

“I think there is the potential in the car for us to be winning races and fighting at the front, but we haven’t been able to unlock that pace,” the seven-time world champion explained. “Do I think this a championship winning car? I can’t say, but the porpoising or bouncing means our hands are tied behind our back. Every race I arrive I think ‘this could be the weekend’. I have faith and trust in the team to get there.”

Leclerc demands ‘maximum’ push from Ferrari

Friday 20 May 2022 12:42 , Dan Austin

Charles Leclerc says he is not worried about Red Bull’s development progress so far this season, and is hoping Ferrari’s upgrades in Spain this weekend can give his team the advantage.

The Monegasque is the current championship leader but was overtaken in straightforward fashion by Max Verstappen after qualifying on pole position at Miami, with the Red Bull boasting a significant straight line speed advantage.

‘We need to push at the maximum,’ he told Sky Sports F1. ‘Worried is not the word. They are in front on track which is not what we like to see, but let’s stay focused on ourselves. I don’t think being worried will help us gain anything. It will depend how much they are gaining and how much we are gaining, so let’s hope it’s advantage to us.’

Hamilton tight-lipped on potential Masi return

Friday 20 May 2022 12:36 , Dan Austin

Lewis Hamilton has given a question about a potential return for former F1 race director Michael Masi short shrift in the Spanish Grand Prix press conference.

Masi’s unprecedented interpretation of the safety car rules at last year’s controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix rendered race leader Hamilton and sitting duck and essentially gifted the title to Verstappen after one of the most intense fights in the seven-decade history of F1.

The Australian was fired by the FIA and replaced by alternating race directors in Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, but rumorus are abound that the FIA wants a third option and could bring Masi back into the fold.

“I did hear that story, but I have no specific feelings about it,” Hamilton told reporters today.

Mercedes still don’t understand why F1 car is struggling so badly, Wolff admits

Friday 20 May 2022 12:24 , Dan Austin

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff admits the Silver Arrows still dont understand why their W13 car is performing so poorly on track.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are currently mired in the midfield, unable to challenge for race victories in a car which is struggling with intense porpoising on the straights at high speeds and is simply slower than frontrunners Ferrari and Red Bull through the corners.

“We still don’t understand our car,” Wolff told Austrian outlet Sport24Auto. “We had a really good day of Friday practice in Miami and were among the fastest, [but] on Saturday, everything was suddenly different again. Minimal changes in the set-up have a big impact.”

Despite their poor form, which has left Russell fourth and Hamilton sixth going into this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, Wolff is not writing off the season just yet.

“We’ve only had five races, so you can’t write anything off – it can swing in our direction again, and in terms of points, we’re not far behind.”

F1 car design going in the ‘wrong direction’, Newey claims

Friday 20 May 2022 12:15 , Dan Austin

Red Bull Racing’s new technical officer Adrian Newey believes that Formula 1’s technical regulations are going in the ‘wrong direction’ and producing machinery which is simply too heavy.

Newey is one of the most successful and highly-rated F1 engineers and car designers in the seven-decade history of the sport, having led Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull throughout their most successful periods in the sport.

But the 63-year-old says that F1 is moving the wrong way.

“In short, the cars have gotten bigger and heavier, [and are] not particularly aerodynamically efficient because they have a lot of drag,” Newey explained. “Obviously this wrong direction is the same as the one the general automotive industry has been going in lately - bigger and heavier cars and people’s obsession with whether they drive on batteries or with fuel.”

F1 marks third anniversary of Lauda’s death

Friday 20 May 2022 11:56 , Dan Austin

Formula 1 is marking the third anniversary of Niki Lauda’s death in Spain this afternoon.

The Austrian won three world championships, with the first coming in 1975, 197 with Ferrari, and the third with McLaren in 1984.

He later became a non-excutive chairman with the Mercedes team in 2012, and was crucial in signing Lewis Hamilton from McLaren, helping set the Silver Arrows up to become the most dominant team in F1 history.

Aston Martin brings radically different car to Spain

Friday 20 May 2022 11:47 , Dan Austin

Aston Martin have arrived at the Spanish Grand Prix with a radically different car to the one which raced last time out in Miami.

The updated AMR22 bears a very strong resmeblance indeed to this year’s pace-setting Red Bull, with revamped sidepods, front and rear wings, and a new halo design.

The team’s aerodynamicists infamously copied the 2019 Mercedes for its 2020 car, and appear to have repeated the same trick here.

You can read the full story below:

Aston Martin deliver radical upgrades for Spanish Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso blasts F1 race control and stewards as ‘incompetent’ after Miami penalties

Friday 20 May 2022 11:33 , Dan Austin

Fernando Alonso has slammed Formula 1’s stewards and the FIA’s new race control setup, calling the officiating in the top tier of motorsport “incompetent” and “not very professional”.

Alonso, 40, is the most experienced driver on the F1 grid and is set to overtake former Ferrari and Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen’s record of 349 grand prix starts during the course of the 2022 campaign, but has been left unimpressed with the new structure put in place by FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem, who was elected to replace the outgoing Jean Todt last December.

“We saw a couple of things already that proves that [race control] still need to improve a lot,” he said. “You need to have some knowledge about racing before being a race director or trying to monitor a race. I don’t think that knowledge is in place at the moment. I know there is a new race director here. Freitas has a lot more experience with WEC and other categories at the top level and I think that will already improve things.”

You can read the full story here:

Fernando Alonso blasts F1 race control as ‘incompetent’ after Miami penalties

Steiner says ‘queue of drivers’ could replace Schumacher at Haas

Friday 20 May 2022 11:17 , Dan Austin

Haas team principal Gunther Steiner says “a queue of drivers” could replace Mick Schumacher if the German’s F1 performances don’t improve.

23-year-old Schumacher, son of seven-time world champion Michael, is one of only two full-time drivers who have failed to score at least one point in the opening rounds of the 2022 season. Having been partnered by the woeful Nikita Mazepin in his debut campaign in 2021, Schumacher is up against the returning Kevin Magnussen this time around, and has been comprehensively outperformed by the impressive Dane for a resurgent Haas squad.

Now, Steiner is warning that Schumacher could be on the way out if he doesn’t raise his level of performance.

“You don’t have forever in Formula 1,” Steiner told Sport Bild in Germany. “There is a queue of drivers who want to drive in your place.

“I am sure that Mick is aware that no one will wait for him. He’s working very hard at it, but it’s very difficult. Formula 1 is not an easy business but I do see Mick going in the right direction.”

Three replacement drivers taking part in FP1, including two rookies

Friday 20 May 2022 11:00 , Dan Austin

Friday practice gets underway at 1pm this afternoon, and there will be three interesting replacement drivers to keep an eye out for when the action begins.

The FIA has implemented a new rule this season stipulating that teams must run rookie drivers in at least two practice sessions, with ‘rookie’ defined as a driver who taken part in no more thna two F1 grands prix in their career.

With that in mind, Formula E world champion will be in Alex Albon’s Williams car in Barcelona today, and Formula’s 2 Juri Vips is taking over Sergio Perez’s Red Bull.

Fir Alfa Romeo, experienced test driver Robert Kubica will practice alongside Valtteri Bottas,

Alpine targeting double points with new upgrades

Friday 20 May 2022 10:50 , Dan Austin

Nine F1 tems are bringing significant upgrased to the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, with only Haas sticking with the same machinery due to budget concerns.

French squad Alpine are delivering a new front wing to Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon’s cars, and are targeting a double points finish in Barcelona.

“We’ve got a new rear wing coming for Spain,” team principal Otmar Szafnauer said. “It should be more efficient than the last time we ran there and it should be a little bit more performant, so we will have that for both cars. Our development programme is in full swing and we’ll keep the updates coming at the next few events.”

Sainz worried about health effects of porpoising

Friday 20 May 2022 10:40 , Dan Austin

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz says he is concerned about the possible long-term health consequences of porpoising on Formula 1 drivers.

Porpoising is the term given to the aerodynamic phenomenon whereby the new generation of F1 cars bounce up and down intensely at high speeds on long straights, causing drivers’ heads to ricohet violently in the cockpit. Multiple drivers have complained about the impact on their backs in the opening five races of the campaign.

‘As drivers and Formula 1, we need to how much of a toll a driver should be paying for his back and his health in a Formula 1 career with this kind of car philosophy,’ Sainz explained.

‘We need to open the debate more than anything. The regulations are great and are doing exactly what we needed for racing but do we need to run as stiff our necks and back as we are having to run lately with this car mass? For me, it is a philosophical question that I put out there maybe for Formula 1 and everyone to rethink about how much a driver needs to pay a price in his career with his health in order to combat this.’

Toto Wolff ramps up Max Verstappen mind games with ‘easier’ jibe

Friday 20 May 2022 10:29 , Dan Austin

It has been made “easier” for Max Verstappen to challenge for the Formula One title this season and defend his championship, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed.

The Dutchman trails Charles Leclerc in the standings after he twice failed to finish over the first three races of the season, but he has racked up three wins overall to cut the championship lead.

Verstappen was involved with an intense title fight with Lewis Hamilton last season but it is Ferrari who have been his closer challengers this campaign after Mercedes’ performance struggles.

“Last year, Max drove a worse car and won the title. Now he has the fastest car, everything is easier for him, the pendulum is swinging in his favour,” Wolff told Autosport.

You can read the full story here:

Toto Wolff ramps up Max Verstappen mind games with ‘easier’ jibe

F1 Driver Standings ahead of Spanish Grand Prix

Friday 20 May 2022 10:10 , Jamie Braidwood

Here’s a reminder of how we stand ahead of the sixth race of the season:

  1. Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 104 points

  2. Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 85 points

  3. Sergio Perez | Red Bull Racing | 66 points

  4. George Russell | Mercedes | 59 points

  5. Carlos Sainz | Ferrari | 53 points

  6. Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 36 points

  7. Lando Norris | McLaren | 35 points

  8. Valtteri Bottas | Alfa Romeo | 30 points

  9. Esteban Ocon | Alpine F1 | 24 points

  10. Kevin Magnussen | Haas F1 Team | 15 points

  11. Daniel Ricciardo | McLaren | 11 points

  12. Yuki Tsunoda | AlphaTauri | 10 points

  13. Pierre Gasly | AlphaTauri | 6 points

  14. Sebastian Vettel | Aston Martin | 4 points

  15. Alexander Albon | Williams Racing | 3 points

  16. Fernando Alonso | Alpine F1 | 2 points

  17. Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 2 points

  18. Zhou Guanyu | Alfa Romeo | 1 point

  19. Mick Schumacher | Haas F1 Team | 0 points

  20. Nicholas Latifi | Williams Racing | 0 points

Vettel tipped to have ‘disastrous’ Spanish Grand Prix

Friday 20 May 2022 09:55 , Jamie Braidwood

Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel is set to have a “disastrous” Spanish Grand Prix this weekend, Ralf Schumacher has warned.

Vettel’s team, Aston Martin, has dropped towards the back of the grid this season after struggling with F1’s new car regulations.

Schumacher, a former F1 driver, has previously slammed Aston Martin’s 2022 car as a “disaster” and the team are only above Williams in the constructors standings.

Vettel’s own season was not helped by missing the opening two races of the campaign after testing positive for Covid-19, and the German has finished in the points just once so far, which came in the rain at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

Schumacher has hinted that Aston Martin’s problems will continue on Formula One’s return to Barcelona.

Sebastian Vettel tipped to have ‘disastrous’ Spanish Grand Prix for Aston Martin

McLaren confirm car updates to boost Spanish Grand Prix chances

Friday 20 May 2022 09:40 , Jamie Braidwood

McLaren boss Andreas Seidl has confirmed the team have made their first major changes of the season to their MCL36 with upgrades available for the Spanish Grand Prix.

The team, whose cars are piloted by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo, have not had the start to the season they would have hoped for. They are fourth in the constructors’ standings, 111 points behind leaders Ferrari, while Norris and Ricciardo are seventh and 11th respectively in the drivers’ standings.

But the team are hoping the changes they have made to the car ahead of Sunday’s grand prix in Barcelona will help get their season back on track.

“We are bringing some upgrades to the car for the weekend,” Seidl said in his official race preview. “I know it’s been an extremely busy week or so for many of the teams making changes ahead of Barcelona, so it’s going to continue to be a tight fight for points.

“We performed well at this track in pre-season testing, so it will be interesting to see how our car will perform with the upgrades we’ve made since then. Hopefully we can have some good battles and get both cars back into the fight for good points.”

Formula E champion to make F1 free practice bow

Friday 20 May 2022 09:25 , Jamie Braidwood

More than one Formula One team will this weekend take the opportunity to give a rookie driver a taste of the action at the highest level, with Nyck de Vries set to be behind the wheel for Williams in the first free practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Regulations state teams must provide two opportunities during the 2022 season for rookies, with 27-year-old De Vries therefore set for his first taste of an F1 race weekend.

The reserve driver for Mercedes has taken part in end-of-season testing for the team, but this will be a first opportunity to be involved during the campaign.

De Vries is the reigning Formula E champion and has won two of the eight races in that category so far this season.

He will be taking over Alex Albon’s seat for Williams in FP1, after they opted against using their own test driver Roy Nissany.

Formula E champion Nyck de Vries to make F1 bow in Spain

Toto Wolff ramps up Max Verstappen mind games with ‘easier’ jibe

Friday 20 May 2022 09:05 , Jamie Braidwood

Ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix, Toto Wolff has claimed it has been made “easier” for Max Verstappen to challenge for the Formula One title this season and defend his championship.

The Dutchman trails Charles Leclerc in the standings after he twice failed to finish over the first three races of the season, but he has racked up three wins overall to cut the championship lead.

Verstappen was involved with an intense title fight with Lewis Hamilton last season but it is Ferrari who have been his closer challengers this campaign after Mercedes’ performance struggles.

Toto Wolff ramps up Max Verstappen mind games with ‘easier’ jibe

Verstappen vs Leclerc ‘could go all the way’

Friday 20 May 2022 08:50 , Jamie Braidwood

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner feels the race for the F1 championship will be another year-long struggle between the early top two - though had hoped for a pressure-free year of Max Verstappen retaining his title.

After the scintillating and controversial nature of his win over Lewis Hamilton last year, Verstappen and Red Bull would have been confident of another strong campaign, while also hoping the likes of Mercedes fell away while getting to grips with the new car designs and regulations.

That has certainly happened - but in their place, Ferrari have emerged as credible challengers and Charles Leclerc has claimed two victories already this season. Combined with Verstappen failing to finish in Bahrain and Australia, it means the reigning champion trails Leclerc in the standings after five races by 19 points, with Horner expecting that battle to go on all year long.

“Look, there is a long, long way to go and it is so tight with Ferrari. There has been some great racing,” he said. “You can see there is a great respect between Charles and Max, they are enjoying racing each other, you can see that.

“I was rather hoping we weren’t set for another competitive year like last year but it looks like this one could well go all the way as well.”

Hamilton claims poor form won’t stop Mercedes in their tracks

Friday 20 May 2022 08:35 , Jamie Braidwood

Lewis Hamilton has vowed to fight on after a difficult start to the 2022 F1 season, saying that poor form won’t stop Mercedes in their tracks.

Mercedes have lacked pace so far this term - badly trailing front-runners Red Bull and Ferrari, while struggling with ‘porpoising’ as the car continues to bounce on the track.

Hamilton currently lies sixth in the drivers’ standings, a mammoth 68 points behind champions leader Charles Leclerc, and also trails his team-mate George Russell, who sits fourth.

But the seven-time world champion isn’t quitting on the season and is adamant that eventual success will be all the sweeter given the problems

“I love working with this team,” said Hamilton of Mercedes. “Being in a team is such a privilege and working with so many people towards a common goal.

“And everyone lifted each other up. Incredible how supportive everyone has been through the difficult times, and then we’ve had the most incredible times together.

“So, you know, a couple of bad races is not going to stop us in our tracks. This is where we unite: this is where we learn more about ourselves as individuals; this is where we grow the most. And it makes that eventual success – which I have no doubts we will eventually get to – taste even better.”

Spanish Grand Prix schedule

Friday 20 May 2022 08:32 , Jamie Braidwood

Friday 20 May

  • 9.30am: F1 Drivers’ Press Conference

  • 1pm: Spanish GP Practice One

  • 4pm: Spanish GP Practice Two

  • 6.15pm: W Series Qualifying

Saturday 21 May

  • 12pm: Spanish GP Practice Three

  • 1.20pm: W Series Race

  • 3pm: Spanish GP qualifying

Sunday 22 May

  • 2pm: The Spanish GP Race

How to watch Spanish Grand Prix practice online and on TV

Friday 20 May 2022 08:31 , Jamie Braidwood

Charles Leclerc will be hoping he can return to winning ways at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend as he looks for a third victory of the season.

Reigning world champion Max Verstappen became the first driver to secure back-to-back wins in the 2022 season when he followed up his Emilia Romagna GP triumph with another victory in Miami.

However, the Red Bull driver remains 19 points adrift of Leclerc in the drivers’ standings due to his two reliability failures in Bahrain and Melbourne.

So, if it is another battle between Leclerc and Verstappen this weekend, who will come out on top?

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the opening day of action at the Spanish Grand Prix.

F1 live stream: How to watch Spanish Grand Prix practice online and on TV

Mercedes hold secret test in bid to close gap on Ferrari and Red Bull

Friday 20 May 2022 08:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team have taken part in a secret test as they scramble to return to the front of the Formula One pack.

Hamilton has been cast a distant 68 points adrift of championship leader Charles Leclerc ahead of the sixth round of the season in Spain on Sunday.

Mercedes are expected to bring a number of new parts to Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya in the hope of combating their ‘porpoising’ woes which have all but put an end to Hamilton’s bid for a record eighth title.

And it is understood that Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell drove the revamped Mercedes at a behind-closed-doors test on Wednesday.

F1 teams are allocated two filming days each season, with Mercedes electing to use their second of the year at Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France.