- Lewis Hamilton moved back into the lead of the Formula 1 drivers’ championship with victory in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, marking his third success of the season. Hamilton picked up his first fastest lap of the year to also score the additional bonus point, meaning he sits seven points clear of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in the standings. - Hamilton led all 66 laps of Sunday’s race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, winning on a two-stop strategy (Soft-Medium-Soft). Bottas spent all 66 laps running in second place. - After the race, Hamilton dedicated his victory to a young, terminally ill fan who sent in a supportive video in the lead up to the weekend: “I was just super inspired by this young kid that sent me a message. He was kind of my spirit angel today.” - Bottas was left frustrated by a clutch issue at the start that caused him to lose ground to Hamilton, squandering pole position: “It was the first time I’ve felt anything like that, like a vibration in the clutch and that’s why the initial getaway was very poor. It was kind of biting and releasing in a very quick frequency. So it’s really annoying. All the hard work this weekend for me went down the depths.” - Hamilton and Bottas were joined on the podium by Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche, who attended his final race today in the role at Mercedes’ parent company. Zetsche will step down at the end of the month, but will not attend the next race in Monaco. - Mercedes honoured Zetsche by staging a team photo with everyone wearing fake moustaches similar to his own. The team ordered black moustaches before spray-painting them silver. - Mercedes continued its streak of one-two finishes to start the season, meaning it has scored 217/220 points on offer this year (98.6 percent). - Mercedes has now also scored more one-twos this year (5) than Ferrari has managed this decade (4). - Max Verstappen picked up his second podium of the year as he beat both Ferrari drivers to P3. Verstappen passed Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc on the opening lap and remained ahead throughout the race. “I think my race was also decided on Lap 1, to overtake Seb around the outside in Turn 3,” Verstappen said. “I was trying to follow the Mercedes cars but they were clearly a bit too quick.” - Ferrari defended its use of team orders to swap Vettel and Leclerc twice through the race, with team principal Mattia Binotto instead focusing on its losses compared to Mercedes. However, he said it was not a new issue: “The limitation we got today was present already in the first races of the season.” - The slow pit stops for both Vettel (Lap 19) and Leclerc (Lap 25) were caused by a cross-threaded wheel nut on the left-rear wheel. - Asked if they thought Mercedes could complete a perfect season and win all 21 races, both Vettel and Leclerc replied with one word: “No.” - Pierre Gasly matched his best finish for Red Bull today in sixth, but suffered a drop-off in pace late in the first stint after catching some tyre marbles in his front wing. - Haas finished as the leading midfield team with Kevin Magnussen in seventh, albeit after a wheel-to-wheel fight with Romain Grosjean who faded to P10 after running off-track in the battle. “I spoke to both drivers, I wanted to clear the air, we cleared the air and we are OK,” team boss Guenther Steiner said after the race. “We need to learn from this and move forward. We got away quite lucky.” - Carlos Sainz continued his streak of always scoring points at his home grand prix as he finished eighth for McLaren. He scored the team’s only points after Lando Norris retired following a collision with Lance Stroll. - The clash at Turn 2 on Lap 46 eliminated both drivers from the race, but the stewards took no action, saying neither driver was chiefly to blame for the clash. - Daniil Kvyat took ninth for Toro Rosso, but was one of the few drivers to pull off some overtakes through the race. He had been on course to beat his best result for the team, only for a slow pit stop after the team failed to get its tyres ready to cost him a position to Grosjean. Kvyat has now finished ninth on six occasions for the team. - Renault failed to score any points for the second race in a row as Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg finished 12th and 13th. Team boss Cyril Abiteboul said Renault is “not in line with the targets we have set ourselves”. - Kimi Raikkonen failed to score points for the first time this season, finishing 14th after dropping to the rear of the field on the opening lap following an off-track excursion. The Finn said it was “not an easy weekend”. - George Russell beat teammate Robert Kubica for the fifth straight weekend, finishing seven seconds clear. Both drivers were one lap down at the chequered flag. - The main man of focus on the grid before the race was Brazilian footballer Neymar, who attended the race through links to Red Bull. Neymar is also good friends with Lewis Hamilton, but reportedly spilt some of his can of Red Bull onto the Briton’s spare helmet bag on the grid.<doc-sep>Ferrari head into F1's final in-season test of the year at Barcelona unsure how long it will take to resolve their 2019 car's problems. Despite an upgrade to both their chassis and engine for the Spanish GP, Ferrari were thrashed by Mercedes, and also beaten in Sunday's race by Red Bull's Max Verstappen, with their F1 title hopes fast unravelling. Questions have started to turn to whether Ferrari's 2019 car concept, which initially earned rave reviews in winter testing, could be at the root of their problem. Speaking on Sunday night, team boss Mattia Binotto said: "We are losing a lot in each corner, not only in the last sector. "In each single corner we are slow, quite a lot of understeer. Is that only downforce? Is it more than that? I think it's something we really need to analyse and understand. "Any early conclusion would be wrong, it will take some days to really have some proper analysis and understand. Is it a matter of balance? Is it a matter of downforce? Is it a matter of different concepts? I don't think we have the answer yet." Ferrari make an immediate return to the Circuit de Catalunya for the two-day group, with Charles Leclerc and test driver Antonio Fuoco driving on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Sebastian Vettel and then Leclerc, meanwhile, are in the other SF90 across the two days for Pirelli tyre testing. "The limitations we had [in Barcelona] were present already in the first races of the season," explained Binotto. 1:11 Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel missed out on the podium after finishing his race fourth Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel missed out on the podium after finishing his race fourth "How long [to fix] it will take is difficult to answer. First we need to understand how to fix them and after that I'm pretty sure we can do it quickly." He added: "We are quite a young team and we are still in the learning phase. There is still much to learn and I'm pretty happy in terms of the team improving. The concept design, it depends what it is and there are things you can address in the season." Who's testing in Spain? Barcelona test line-ups Team Tuesday Wednesday Mercedes Valtteri Bottas Nikita Mazepin Ferrari Charles Leclerc Antonio Fuoco Red Bull Pierre Gasly Dan Ticktum Renault Nico Hulkenberg Jack Aitkin Haas Pietro Fittipaldi Kevin Magnussen McLaren Carlos Sainz/Lando Norris Oliver Turvey/Sergio Sette Camara Racing Point Nick Yelloly Nick Yelloly Alfa Romeo Callum Ilott Kimi Raikkonen Toro Rosso Daniil Kvyat Alex Albon Williams Nicholas Latifi Nicholas Latifi Pirelli testing (Ferrari) Sebastian Vettel Charles Leclerc Pirelli testing (Racing Point) Sergio Perez Lance Stroll A month after the last two-day test in Bahrain, F1's teams are getting their second early-season opportunity to run their cars on track outside of a race weekend. The test sees the usual mix of regular race drivers and young hopefuls, with Spanish GP point-scorers Valtteri Bottas, Leclerc, Kevin Magnussen and Daniil Kvyat joined on the two-day line-up by British youngster Callum Ilott, who makes his F1 debut with Alfa Romeo, and Russia's Nikita Mazepin, who drives the Mercedes W10 on Wednesday. Ilott, 20, is a member of Ferrari's Academy, while Mazepin has previously tested for Force India. Renault's Jack Aitken and Racing Point's Nick Yelloly, who last tested an F1 car in 2015, are also in action. Sky Sports F1 is the home of live and exclusive F1 - and new and existing customers in the UK can now get the channel for just £10 extra a month.Find out more here to watch the 2019 season live<doc-sep>Mercedes have sent a Formula One car to the home of a terminally ill boy who "inspired" Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Spanish Grand Prix. Harry Shaw, held in his father's arms, was shown around the super hi-tech vehicle by a Mercedes employee. Image: Harry with his dad James It was the first time the five-year-old, who has a rare form of bone cancer, had been outside for three weeks. Dad James said it had "provided us with a big boost, and a big smile", at a "tremendously difficult time in our lives". He added that his son "couldn't believe that Lewis Hamilton was talking about him, and had dedicated the race to him". Advertisement Harry "now thinks that Lewis is his absolute best friend, which, for a five-year-old boy, is amazing", he said. Image: Members of the Mercedes Formula One team delivering the car Harry sent a video message to the world champion, who then posted it on his Instagram account. In the clip, Harry, wearing a Mercedes cap, says: "Hello Lewis Hamilton. Good luck winning the race in Spain and thank you for all of the gifts. Lots of love from Harry and goodbye." Moments after winning the race in Barcelona, Hamilton dedicated his triumph to the youngster. His voice breaking, the 34-year-old driver said: "Today, I was just super-inspired by this kid that sent me a message. He was my spirit angel." Mercedes' gesture in sending the car to Harry's home in Redhill, Surrey, involved team members jetting out of Barcelona on Sunday night. James Shaw said his son "loves cars, and although he is frail, he was asking about the exhaust pipe". He continued: "He is very inquisitive, so that is typical of Harry, asking questions and getting involved. Mercedes have taken us to a much better place in a dark time." Image: Harry in bed at home with the Spanish Grand Prix trophy and Lewis Hamilton's race gloves Hamilton previously said on Instagram: "Harry, you don't know how much this (video) message means to me buddy. "Thank you so much - you are my inspiration today Harry. I will try to make you proud. "You are such a strong boy - I wish I was as strong as you." Image: Harry has been diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer The five-time world champion added: "I wanted the world to see how strong you are and ask everyone to send their best wishes and prayers to you during this hard time. Sending you love Harry. God bless you. Your friend, Lewis." The youngster, who recorded the video in hospital, has returned home for his final days. Image: The car was taken to Harry's home in Surrey He was also presented with Hamilton's trophy from the race and his gloves. Harry's parents have set up a JustGiving page to raise money for research into the disease their son is suffering from - Ewing's Sarcoma. Hamilton's triumph in Spain moved him seven points clear of team-mate Valtteri Bottas in the championship.<doc-sep>Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that the prospect of Lewis Hamilton one day potentially driving for Ferrari was discussed between them during contract talks last year. Hamilton, in the first season of a new two-year deal, reiterated after winning Sunday's Spanish GP that he is a fan of Ferrari but admitted "it's very difficult to see myself anywhere else" other than Mercedes, with no plans yet beyond 2020. But that does not mean Hamilton and Mercedes have not openly discussed such a hypothetical Ferrari scenario in the past. "You need to always put yourself in the perspective of the other guy," Wolff told Sky Sports F1 after Sunday's race, which Hamilton won. "As a matter of fact, most drivers dream about being at Ferrari one day so I'm playing through the scenarios and saying 'if you were to take this decision, what would we do?' "[We had] a pretty open conversation." 1:26 Lewis Hamilton reflects on his win ahead of Valtteri Bottas to reclaim the championship lead - and dedicates his victory to a young cancer sufferer Lewis Hamilton reflects on his win ahead of Valtteri Bottas to reclaim the championship lead - and dedicates his victory to a young cancer sufferer The prospect of Hamilton not extending his glittering Mercedes stay during contract talks this time last year was remote, with the world champion eventually penning a new two-year deal last July. But Wolff says the 'Ferrari question' was not avoided and insisted there would be "no drama" if and when Hamilton sought new opportunities. "Even within the team we have discussed it, with Lewis we have discussed it and we have agreed on the topic," the Mercedes boss told reporters. "We had the discussion when we negotiated the last contract and I think that you just have to be open minded and understand that drivers will explore opportunities that exist and benchmark themselves. "What I've seen strong between Lewis and us is that we have always been very transparent with each other with our discussions. At the moment, everything is great. I think we are providing him with a car that is capable of achieving his objectives. "If we continue to have a car that is performing on that level I think there is no reason to go, and we would really love him to stay. And if one day ways part, it will be very positive and each of us will try to achieve success with a different setup. No drama." 1:56 Watch as Lewis Hamilton leads Valtteri Bottas into Turn One during the Spanish GP Watch as Lewis Hamilton leads Valtteri Bottas into Turn One during the Spanish GP Vettel an option in a post-Hamilton era? Were Hamilton not to extend his Mercedes contract at the end of next season, then Mercedes would inevitably be linked with the grid's other big names such as Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari's current number one. Vettel and Verstappen are also out of contract at the end of 2020. Wolff was asked if he could ever see Vettel driving for Mercedes, in what could be an effective swap with Hamilton. "Sebastian… why not Sebastian? Absolutely [I could imagine it]," Wolff replied. "I think you need to consider that there is probably six or seven drivers out there that have the skill and the intelligence to deserve to be in a championship-winning car. Two of them are with us and I hope it goes forever, and then there is a few others that we really enjoy watching, and we enjoy watching them perform. Sebastian is definitely one of them." 'You always have to drop in the Ferrari name' Hamilton was asked about Wolff's comments in Sunday's post-race press conference at Barcelona. Here's the full transcript below, with an added injection from Max Verstappen… Question: Yesterday Toto mentioned that you and he had discussed you potentially going to Ferrari at some point in your career. After the start you've had to this season, and the start Mercedes have had, is there any reason… do you foresee ever leaving Mercedes, given how strong they are now and how dominant they are over Ferrari? Hamilton: "I don't really remember what he's referring to. I think when you're in negotiations you always have to drop in the Ferrari name." Max Verstappen: "You come out better!" Hamilton: "You come out better. No, naturally in negotiations… Toto's a very intelligent man so we have great negotiations and great conversations and naturally I've been with Mercedes since I was 13, so it's very difficult to see myself anywhere else. "I have never made it a secret that I've been a Ferrari fan, particularly Ferrari cars, and that's no secret. Do I plan on going elsewhere? I haven't made any plans for my future. At the moment I'm just enjoying driving with this team. "I'm enjoying continuous growing with this team and, I mean, it's incredible what we're achieving together, what we have achieved in these six years, seven years or whatever it is, and I plan on working with this team to help it become the most successful team of all time. That's my current goal and my sole focus." If reading on skysports.com, comment below to get involved in the debate, but please adhere to our House Rules. If you wish to report any comment, simply click on the down arrow next to the offending comment and click 'Report'.<doc-sep>
- Valtteri Bottas arrived in Spain on Thursday leading the F1 drivers’ championship once again after his victory in Baku, but rejected the suggestion Mercedes’ results flattered its performances so far this year. “We’ve done a great job as a team and with the level we’ve been performing at, I think we deserve these results,” Bottas said. - Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton once again echoed his comments from recent races that comparisons between the current situation at Brackley and that in the past with Nico Rosberg are incorrect. “We have a really great energy in the team and we have an agreed set of rules so that we do finish the races one-two and we play supporting roles either way,” Hamilton said of his partnership with Hamilton. - Sebastian Vettel may be without a win four races into the 2019 season, but he stressed the atmosphere and mood at Ferrari remained “as good or better than last year”. When told the points gap to the top of the drivers’ championship, Vettel said he was not aware of the difference, adding: “At this point of the year, it doesn’t really matter by how much. I think it’s quite straightforward, we need to start scoring more points.” - Following his comment about trying to understand Ferrari’s car in the same way as a Rubik’s cube in Baku, Vettel was handed an actual Rubik’s cube by a journalist at the end of the press conference. - Carlos Sainz Jr. will be flying the flag solo for Spanish drivers on home soil this weekend, but said he hadn’t felt any added pressure or attention in the absence of Fernando Alonso. Sainz referred to Liverpool’s astonishing comeback in the UEFA Champions League semi-final against Barcelona earlier this week as an example of the boost home support can give as he looks to maintain his points-scoring streak at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. - Sainz wasn’t the only driver chatting football on Thursday. After seeing Ajax crash out of the other UCL semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur, Max Verstappen – a PSV fan – was asked what F1 could do to create a similar level of drama. “It’s basically like being three laps down and the guy suddenly wins the race,” Verstappen said. “It’s just a different sport, different things can happen, the emotion as well.” - Charles Leclerc also said Ferrari could take inspiration from the comebacks as it looks to try and overhaul the gap to Mercedes in the early stages of the constructors’ championship. “I think as a team and as a driver you always need to be motivated and never give up,” he said. “We are here to win and this is what we want to do, so we are doing everything in our hands to improve and hopefully the results will come. - Talk about the calendar continued on Thursday in Spain as the first details on the 2020 schedule begin to come together. A number of drivers expressed their dismay at the possible loss of the Spanish Grand Prix, with Sainz saying it would be a “big loss”. However, there was a decent amount of support for Zandvoort’s reported return, with Williams’ George Russell saying it ranked among his top five circuits. - Kimi Raikkonen said that he was not overly surprised by the sustained media interest despite his move away from Ferrari for the 2019 season and switch to Alfa Romeo, with a sizeable number of journalists still attending his media briefings. “I think for me it was not really a shock or different, it’s more or less what I was used to,” the Finn said. “But for the team, at the beginning, it was not like what they were used to.” - A first sign of the car updates arrived in Barcelona as teams look to make good on their first update packages of the season. Romain Grosjean said Haas brought “pretty much a brand new car” to Barcelona as it looks to resolve its ongoing tyre woes, but other drivers remained more coy about just what kind of impact the new parts could have. - Ferrari will debut its updated engine in Spain ahead of schedule as it looks to try and fight back against Mercedes. The update will not be taken by customer teams Alfa Romeo or Haas, though.