Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Formula 1 leader Charles Leclerc wins all practice sessions and also takes pole position in qualifying. Mick Schumacher makes it into Q3 where he finishes 10th while Sebastian Vettel disappoints in 16th. All information to read in the ticker.
Practice, qualifying and the race from May 20th, 2022 to May 22nd, 2022
The result:
1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:18.750 minutes
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 0,323
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 0.416
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 0,643
5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 0.670
6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 0,762
7. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) 0,858
8. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 0.932
9. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1,547
10. Mick Schumacher (Haas) 1,618
Eliminated in Q2:
11. Lando Norris (McLaren)
12. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
13. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri)
14. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri)
15. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo)
Eliminated in Q1:
16. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin)
17. Fernando Alonso (Alpine)
18. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
19. Alexander Albon (Williams)
20. Nicholas Latifi (Williams)
At the start of the Formula 1 weekend in Spain, world champion Max Versteppen and Red Bull are not yet at the top. At the Grand Prix in the north of Barcelona, Ferrari initially sets the pace in practice, but the Dutchman needs to improve in qualifying to make it onto the front row of the grid. Unlike in the previous five races of the season, there could be a three-way battle in Catalonia.
Mercedes is catching up: With an improved car, the Silver Arrows suddenly made it way up the field in practice on Friday. Only Charles Leclerc was faster in the Ferrari than George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. The two Brits seem capable of finishing well up front in the race as well. The course is considered a parade route for the works team anyway. Hamilton has won the last five Grands Prix and is a record winner on the course together with Michael Schumacher.
Copy affair: did Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin racing team copy world champion Max Verstappen’s car? The world automobile association Fia confirmed that no rules were broken with the new aerodynamic parts, but a stale aftertaste remains. Aside from the paintwork, the cars look deceptively similar. Red Bull has announced that it will investigate the case further. The matter is particularly piquant because Aston Martin poached important engineers from Red Bull last year, including Dan Fallows, the head of the aerodynamics department. The case should keep the PS scene busy in the coming weeks.
Alonso criticism: Ex-world champion Fernando Alonso risks punishment by the world association Fia with sharp words. Back home, the Spaniard complained about the race stewards, who, in his view, last punished him unfairly in Miami. “We think it was very unfair and it was simply incompetence on the part of the stewards. They weren’t very professional,” said Alonso from the Alpine racing team. The 40-year-old received a time penalty in Florida for leaving the track and fell out of the points at the last Grand Prix.
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