12/05/2019
NEWS STORY
While Max Verstappen has the common sense to admit that Mercedes is out of reach and that therefore he and Red Bull will target Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel appears to have taken leave of his senses.
Having posted a best time 0.8s adrift of pole-man Valtteri Bottas yesterday, Vettel claims that Ferrari's hopes rest on something "daring" the Italian team has planned.
Well, unless it is ordering Charles Leclerc to lay down in the middle of the track or putting laxatives in Bottas' porridge, we cannot think what it can be. After all, strategy is hardly the Maranello outfit's strong point at present.
Not wanting to go down the clickbait route - as if - one cannot help but feel that, despite the rhetoric, there is a little edginess creeping into the relationship between the two Mercedes drivers.
Hamilton's comments earlier this week about Bottas benefitting from his old engineer were unnecessary, and it was clear that the Briton wasn't happy following yesterday's qualifying session. Then again, despite another front row lock-out Toto Wolff was hardly the life and soul of the celebrations.
Yesterday we saw that Bottas 2.0 might be more of a permanent fixture than we imagined, and what better place to put the relationship with his teammate to the test than here, scene of that infamous clash in 2016 between Hamilton and then teammate Nico Rosberg.
While Mercedes always says its drivers are free to race, there is no way that Mr Wolff will have been able to put that particular incident to the back of his mind today.
Then again, in many ways, what happens over the next ninety minutes could set the precedent for the rest of the season, for it is clear that is going to be a two-horse race for the title, and neither of them prancing.
And though the title fight might be done and dusted, certainly as far as Mercedes is concerned, the battle between Ferrari and Red Bull could be fun.
Whatever "daring" move Ferrari might have up its sleeve today, Vettel and Leclerc will have to make the most of the SF90's straight-line speed, not only in terms of perhaps putting one over Mercedes but in order to put some space between themselves and the Bulls, and in particular Mr Verstappen.
Of course, the situation is further complicated by the fact that the Haas pair are right behind, neither Romain Grosjean nor Kevin Magnussen known for their willingness to stand aside when it comes to a scrap.
Behind these, we should - that's should - see a good midfield fight, with McLaren and Toro Rosso leading the way, and the rest looking for whatever scraps might be left over. Watch out for Daniel Ricciardo also, the Australian doing a great job to qualify tenth, while keen to put the nightmare of Baku behind him. (See what we did there?)
We say "should" because over the years we've seen some dreadfully processional races here, hence the label 'Borecelona' from over two decades ago.
That said, we've also seen a fair number of first lap incidents here - 2016 aside - and while that long run to T1 will make for some fun and games we know that as the field heads into that particular bottleneck it can - and often does - end in tears.
In terms of strategy, the quickest is a two-stopper, starting on the softs for 22 laps, then another soft stint for 23 laps, then mediums to the end.
However, as is often the case, the teams will probably aim for a one-stopper, especially as it's quite hard to overtake here. In which case, the theoretically fastest one-stopper would be to start on the softs for 27 laps - managing them carefully (groan) - and then switch to the hards until the finish.
A less marginal strategy - which is quite close anyway on overall race time - is to start on the mediums for 30 laps, then switch to the hards for the final 36 laps. However, nobody in the front five rows of grid will be able to try this.
The pitlane opens and one by one the drivers head out... all bar Hulkenberg who is to start from the pitlane after Renault used a different spec front wing following his brush with the barriers in Q1.
Hamilton complains that Vettel is "driving dangerously" as they make their way through the pitlane, and while the German is traveling very slowly there are a lot of people in the pitlane and even track vehicles.
A number of drivers report that it is windier than yesterday. It is also considerably warmer.
While the leading ten all start on the softs, so too does everyone bar Raikkonen, Stroll, Kubica, Russell and Hulkenberg who all start on the mediums.
The field heads off on the parade lap, all getting away cleanly.
While Bottas takes his place on the grid, it is some before his rivals join him.
They're away. Strong starts from both Hamilton and Vettel while Bottas is a little slow out of the blocks. Heading into T1, Bottas is the meat in the sandwich as Hamilton has the inside and Vettel seeks to go around the outside.
Vettel locks-up, tyre smoke filling the air, as he runs a little wide in T1, the German rejoins still alongside Bottas who has a nasty wobble. Back on track, Vettel loses a little pace and is lucky not to collect his Ferrari teammate as both are passed by an opportunist Verstappen. Indeed, Gasly also makes a move on Leclerc but runs wide thereby giving the Ferrari driver some much-needed breathing space.
At the end of lap 1, it's: Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, Vettel, Leclerc, Gasly, Grosjean, Magnussen, Kvyat and Albon. Raikkonen has dropped to last after going off at T4. Norris also had a bad start and has dropped to 16th.
Understandably, Vettel complains of a flat-spot.
After 2 laps, Hamilton leads his teammate by 1.7s with Verstappen all over the second Mercedes.
After just three laps it is already looking very processional, especially as the field heads down the pit straight.
An early fastest lap for Bottas (27.676) as Verstappen remains 1.5s behind the Finn but 2s clear of Vettel.
"I have no pace, I don't know why" complains Sainz who is eleventh, 1s down on Albon.
As Hamilton, Bottas and Leclerc trade fastest sectors, Hamilton posts a new fastest lap (22.310).
At the end of lap six, Giovinazzi pits for fresh rubber, surprisingly taking on the hards.
Leclerc, with the aid of DRS, closes on his teammate. The youngster is clearly losing time behind Vettel.
As Vettel drops 3s behind Verstappen, the Silver Arrows continue to trade fastest sector times.
At the end of lap 9, Leclerc has another look going into T1. Ferrari really should tell Vettel to give way.
A new fastest lap for Hamilton (21.972) on lap 9.
"Scenario three," Hulkenberg is told, "we'll save the performance for later."
At the end of lap 11, Vettel moves aside for Leclerc following a cryptic message from the pit-wall. In a matter of moments, Leclerc is 1.7s up the road, albeit 11.6s down on the race leader.
Over the entire spread of the field, Sainz and Ricciardo are the only two drivers within less than a second of one another.
"Looking for me for pitting as soon as you can," says Vettel, the German adding that his tyres are a "pain in the arse". Probably almost literally with those flat-spots.
Another fastest lap from Hamilton (21.766) as Bottas remains 3.669s in his wake.
Hulkenberg passes Norris for 15th as his teammate continues to stalk Sainz in the other McLaren.
"Have you found a gap?" asks Vettel, "if not find one."
"Pit me when you can," he asks a lap later, his urgency obvious.
Just 18 laps in and Hamilton is already lapping the Williams pair.
Sainz is told that on the last lap he was fastest of the midfield runners. "You're doing well."
Check out our Sunday gallery from Barcelona, here.
Vettel pits at the end of lap 19, but there's an issue with the rear-left. He rejoins in 10th behind the Toro Rossos on mediums.
Next time around Verstappen pits, sticking with softs he rejoins in 5th. Which means he's on a two-stopper.
Another fastest lap from Hamilton (21.527).
Kvyat pits at the end of lap 21, the Russian and his teammate both having been passed by Vettel.
On his fresh rubber Vettel goes quickest in the opening sector.
Gasly pits at the end of lap 22, the Frenchman switching to mediums. A one-stopper? Stroll also pits.
Vettel is setting a strong pace on his mediums, and is closing on the Haas pair at a fair rate of knots.
Magnussen pits, which moves Vettel up to sixth, 4.6s own on Grosjean.
A great, bold move from Kvyat who goes around the outside of Raikkonen in T4 to take 15th from Raikkonen.
At the end of lap 25, Ricciardo, Sainz and Perez all pit, a lap later it's Leclerc's turn. Again there is a problem with the left-rear tyre. They've fitted the youngster with hard.
Next time around Bottas pits, the Finn rejoining still in second on mediums. Grosjean also pits. A great stop for the Haas driver who rejoins in 8th.
Hamilton pits at the end of lap 27, the Briton rejoining still in the lead on mediums. Indeed, he's 10s clear of his teammate.
After 28 laps, it's Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, Leclerc, Vettel, Gasly, Grosjean, Hulkenberg, Magnussen and Kvyat, though the Renault driver has yet to stop.
Raikkonen pits at the end of lap 28, as Bottas posts a new fastest lap (20.857).
Vettel is lapping quicker than his teammate and is now just 0.999s behind.
As Bottas closes to within 8.5s of Hamilton, the Briton asks for info on the Finn.
Though the positions are reversed, Ferrari still making a right pig's ear of its strategy in not allowing the quicker driver through earlier.
In tenth, Hulkenberg has completed 34 laps on his mediums. Giovinazzi has completed 28 on hi hards.
On lap 36, the Ferraris change places, albeit in the final sector rather than the pit straight.
Meanwhile, Hulkenberg finally pits, rejoining in 16th on softs.
"If you're stopping again, we drop 7 second behind and will need to overtake Verstappen on track," Bottas is told.
A great move sees Kvyat pass Magnussen for 8th, the Dane, as usual, not making things easy.
"Feels like these tyres could be a stretch," warns Hamilton. The bad news is that he's got to make them last another 26 laps.
At the end of lap 40, Vettel pits again, the German sticking with mediums. He rejoins in sixth, just behind Gasly.
A bold move sees Vettel pass Gasly in T10, a move the German really needed to pull off.
Lap 43 sees a new fastest lap from Vettel (20.065), as Verstappen pits, the Dutchman rejoining in fourth on mediums.
The camera picks up on a very ugly blister on Hamilton's right-rear.
Told of Leclerc's last lap time, Verstappen replies: "No way he's going to the end".
It isn't Hamilton that pits but Bottas, the Finn rejoining still in second on softs.
The safety car is deployed when Norris and Stroll clash in T2 and both head off into the gravel. Replay suggest the clash was down to the Briton, though the Racing Point driver didn't give him much room.
At which point Hamilton pits, as do Magnussen, Kvyat, Albon, Ricciardo, Perez, Raikkonen and a few others, including Leclerc.
Behind the safety car, which Hamilton believes is going "way too slow", the Briton also complains of lots of gravel on the track following the Stroll/Norris incident.
The order now, behind the safety car, and after 47 laps, is: Hamilton, Bottas, Verstappen, Vettel, Leclerc, Gasly, Grosjean, Magnussen, Kvyat and Sainz.
Replay shows that when the Toro Rosso pair pitted under the safety car, the crew wasn't ready, which allowed Grosjean to claim seventh. Thank you very much.
Vettel considers pitting and switching to softs, but he is told to stay out.
Behind the safety car, after 51 laps, the Silver Arrows are on softs, followed by Verstappen, Vettel and Leclerc, all on mediums, then Gasly, Grosjean and Magnussen all on softs.
At the end of lap 52 the Safety Car withdraws.
At the re-start, Leclerc is caught napping, and is passed on the main straight by Gasly. However, in T1 the Ferrari driver has the inside and regains the position. Behind the two Haas' are fighting, Grosjean running wide. A mistake from Gasly allows Magnussen to almost pass the Red Bull but somehow the Frenchman holds his position.
Kvyat makes a mistake and loses a place to Sainz, the Russian having run wide in T1 at the re-start.
And in the midst of all that, a new fastest lap from Hamilton (19.850).
"Fastest lap will be early in this stint," Bottas is told.
The Haas duo continue to fight, and once again Grosjean has to use the escape road in T1. No quarter given by these two.
Next time around, Grosjean is caught napping in T1 by Sainz and once again the Frenchman has to use the escape road.
Replay shows the pair actually touched wheels.
Bottas is lapping around 0.3s quicker than his teammate and the gap is now down to 2.3s.
Sainz nails Grosjean on the pit straight, much to the delight of the crowd, as Kvyat also closes on the Frenchman.
It's possible Grosjean damaged his car during one of his numerous excursions.
"We need to calm down," Grosjean is told, "if you do it, it has to be clean."
Kvyat sweeps past Grosjean into T1 at the start of lap 61, as Albon also lines up the Haas driver.
Vettel remains 1.8s down on Verstappen and 2.6s clear of Leclerc.
Albon is told to go get Grosjean who is clearly struggling.
"How many laps," asks Hamilton. "Five," comes the reply.
At the start of lap 64, Albon makes a move on Grosjean going into T1, but the Haas driver has it covered. Ricciardo keeps a watching eye on the proceedings ahead.
"Two more laps, two more laps," Albon is told, "go get him."
Up ahead, Kvyat is looking at a move on Sainz.
Hamilton takes the flag and with it re-takes the lead in the world championship, fastest lap giving the Briton the complement of 26 points.
Bottas is second, ahead of Verstappen, Vettel, Leclerc, Gasly, Magnussen, Sainz, Kvyat and Grosjean who somehow holds off Albon.
The Thai driver is eleventh, ahead of Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Raikkonen, Perez, Giovinazzi, Russell and Kubica.
Another 1-2 for the Silver Arrows, and, sadly, a typically processional race, which, if nothing else, confirms that Mercedes are untouchable.
Also, as seen a couple of times this year, the race was won at the start, Bottas' 0.6s qualifying advantage worth absolutely nothing as he failed to get away from the line.
Next up is Monaco, where hopefully the unusual nature of the track will serve up something different.