The two Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton clashed in Barcelona. © Mark Sutton/Imago
Formula 1 is making a stop in Spain. Max Verstappen secures pole position. The race in Barcelona in the live ticker.
- Formula 1: Spanish GP, Sunday, 15 p.m., Sky
- Race in Barcelona: Max Verstappen secures pole position
- Trouble at Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton and George Russell collide
- This live ticker for the race in Barcelona will be updated continuously
Barcelona – After the wet race in Monaco, Formula 1 will continue in Barcelona a week later. World champion Max Verstappen confidently secures pole position at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - behind him it will be close and exciting. Nico Hulkenberg finished in the top 10 in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix. Before the race on Sunday, at 15 p.m., there is also trouble about the collision at Mercedes between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
Formula 1 in Barcelona: starting grid
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) | 2. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) | 3. Lando Norris (McLaren) | 4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) |
5. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) | 6. Esteban Ocon (Alpine Renault) | 7. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) | 8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) |
9. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) | 10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine Renault) | 11. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) | 12. George Russell (Mercedes) |
13. Zhou Guanyu (Alfa Romeo) | 14. Nyck de Vries (Alphatauri) | 15. Yuki Tsunoda (Alphatauri) | 16. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) |
17. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) | 18. Alexander Albon (Williams) | 19. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) | 20. Logan Sargeant (Williams) |
Race in Barcelona: Max Verstappen secures pole position
Barcelona is a special place for Verstappen. In 2016, at the age of only 18 years and 228 days, he achieved his first Formula 1 victory, and it was also his first outing for Red Bull ever. Last year, on his way to world title number two, he won again on the track in north-west Barcelona. In the five years in between, Lewis Hamilton had prevailed on the circuit, which was slightly modified this year. At the end of the lap, an unpopular chicane was replaced by a corner that could be driven faster. As a result, the lap times became significantly faster.
At the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Verstappen's lap time of 1:12.272 minutes on Saturday was nowhere near to be beaten by anyone. Behind the world championship leader, Spaniard Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari came closest, 0.462 seconds behind in second place. Third place went to Britain's Lando Norris in the McLaren. For Verstappen, it was the fourth pole position this year and the 24th of his career.
Formula 1 in Barcelona today in the live ticker: Hülkenberg celebrates best qualifying result
Nico Hulkenberg showed himself strong again one day after third place in practice and finished eighth in the Haas race car. "I'm happy and feel comfortable with the car. It was fun to drive at the limit," Hulkenberg told Sky. Because Frenchman Pierre Gasly, who had finished fourth, was subsequently given a grid penalty of six positions, Hülkenberg even started the Grand Prix in seventh place – his best qualifying result in the Haas so far.
Vice World Champion Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, had a very weak afternoon in the Ferrari and only made it to 19th place. World Championship runner-up Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull also disappointed and missed out on the top ten in eleventh place.
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Trouble at Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton and George Russell collide
Meanwhile, there was trouble at Mercedes. Record world champion Lewis Hamilton drove teammate George Russell into the car during the second qualifying phase. "Thank God nothing more serious happened, but that was just a communication error with us," said Russell, who overlooked Hamilton in the second leg. While Russell retired early after the incident in twelfth place, Hamilton destroyed his front wing during the brief contact at high speed, but still finished fourth.
"Of course, it doesn't help if they drive themselves into the box. Both thought that the other would finish the lap, but that must not be," said Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff. Nevertheless, the Austrian explained: "You don't drive yourself into the car on purpose, that was a misunderstanding." Ralf Schumacher, on the other hand, has a different opinion.
Formula 1 in Barcelona today in the live ticker: Ralf Schumacher fuels Mercedes trouble
"George didn't want to give Lewis a slipstream and closed the door. This is my analysis. The young challenger wants to replace the top dog," said Schumacher and explained: "They don't get along so well with each other in their private lives." So the Spanish Grand Prix promises a lot of explosive material. Follow the race in Barcelona on Sunday, at 15 p.m., here in the live ticker. (ck/dpa)