Charles Leclerc registers a DNF as Red Bull continue to dominate at the Spanish GP
We are half way through the Spanish GP in Barcelona and things are getting really interesting out there. After 35 laps, Sergio Perez is leading the race followed by Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Defending champion Lewis Hamilton is just managing to stay in the top 10.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou are the only drivers so far to have registered DNFs so far. Perez and Verstappen are very much on track to significantly reduce Leclerc’s leading margin in the Drivers’ championship. Red Bull continues to breathe heavily down on Ferrari’s neck at the top of the Constructors’ championship and could very well push them to second place if the results stay this way at the end of the race.
Meanwhile, Sergio Perez pits for the medium tyres to cover Russell. He comes out four seconds ahead of the Brit, with Verstappen now out in front by 17 seconds. This is all going to be about when will Verstappen make his final pit stop.
Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez is taking the race right down to the wire
Verstappen takes the lead from Perez after the Mexican decided to make a pit stop. Behind the front three, Valtteri Bottas is having another brilliant drive in fourth place. Carlos Sainz has recovered to fifth following his early spin and Lewis Hamilton is sixth. Esteban Ocon is in seventh and Lando Norris is eighth.
It’s the Red Bull drivers who are involved in an intense duel for the top place on the podium. Mercedes’ George Russell looks comfortable in third place.
If Verstappen manages to win the race, it would be his fourth of the season and would see him take the top spot in the Drivers’ championship, replacing Leclerc. Perez is meanwhile looking for his first win of the season.
Lewis Hamilton is giving it his all and has come up to the top six but has now received a black and white warning for exceeding track limits.
It is all going down to the wire!
Lap 57
Valtteri Bottas聽is under severe pressure from聽Carlos Sainz, who is less than a second behind.聽Lewis Hamilton聽is there too so it could soon get close between the former teammates and the聽Ferrari.
Lap 58
Sainz聽eases by聽Bottas聽on the main straight, leaving the聽Alfa Romeo聽driver vulnerable for the next few corners.聽Hamilton聽brilliantly goes around the outside of his former teammate at Turn 3.
Lap 60
It’s been a superb comeback drive from聽Hamilton. He was in last place and a minute behind at one point, now he’s in fourth as the seven-time world champion has just gone around the outside of聽Sainz聽at Turn 1. Great move.
Lap 63
We can finally take a deep breath with three laps to go. The top six positions are set to remain the same with a聽Red Bull聽1-2,聽Mercedes聽3-4 with聽Sainz聽in fifth and聽Bottas聽in sixth.
Lap 65
More drama! Both聽Russell聽and聽Hamilton聽have been told to lift and coast for a “DNF risk”.聽Sainz聽is now right on聽Hamilton‘s tail for fifth place.
Lap 66
And just like that,聽Sainz聽eases by聽Hamilton聽on the main straight as聽Verstappen聽is about to begin his last lap.聽Russell聽should be okay to finish on the podium.
MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE 2022 SPANISH GP
Max Verstappen聽makes it a hat-trick of wins and takes the lead of the championship as he wins a dramatic Spanish GP. It’s the second聽Red Bull聽1-2 of the season as聽Sergio Perez聽takes second and聽George Russell聽finishes in third, ahead of聽Carlos Sainz聽and聽Lewis Hamilton.聽Charles Leclerc‘s retirement could prove very costly.
2022 Spanish Grand Prix Top 10
1) Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2) Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
3) George Russell (Mercedes)
4) Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
5) Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
6) Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo)
7) Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
8) Lando Norris (McLaren)
9) Fernando Alonso (Alpine)
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