Spanish GP: Qualifying - Results

We're under 2 hours away from the 2015 Spanish GP - Here is how the grid lines up.

STARTING GRID:

1. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany
2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercees-Mercedes / Great Britain
3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
4. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland
5. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain
6. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands
7. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
8. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia
9. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
10. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia
11. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France
12. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela
13. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain
14. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain
15. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
16. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
17. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany
18. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
19. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain
20. Roberto Merhi / Manor Ferrari / Spain

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Spanish GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

Mercedes once again dominated the time-sheets with Rosberg taking fastest time in the last Free Practice Session before Qualifying, while Hamilton finished 3rd fasted, with Vettel in the Ferrari taking the 2nd spot. However, it was not Raikkonen in the top 4 this time around, it was Valtteri Bottas, who is looking to gain a good lot of points in the race.

While McLaren is improving and finding their pace a bit more than the previous races, there is still a lot of work to be done and upgrades to be added. Force India is also struggling with pace as the duo struggle to make the top 10 in the time sheets.

Here are the times from the session

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:26.021 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:26.177 / Ferrari-Ferrari
3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:26.222 / Mercedes-Mercedes
4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:26.682 / Williams-Mercedes
5. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:26.944 / Ferrari-Ferrari
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:27.048 / Red Bull-Renault
7. Felipe Massa - 1:27.109 / Williams-Mercedes
8. Max Verstappen - 1:27.132 / Toro Rosso-Renault
9. Daniil Kvyat - 1:27.313 / Red Bull-Renault
10. Carlos Sainz - 1:27.809 / Toro Rosso-Renault
11. Jenson Button - 1:27.938 / McLaren-Honda
12. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:28.082 / Force India-Mercedes
13. Felipe Nasr - 1:28.096 / Sauber-Ferrari
14. Fernando Alonso - 1:28.304 / Ferrari-Ferrari
15. Romain Grosjean - 1:28.578 / Lotus-Mercedes
16. Pastor Maldonado - 1:28.618 / Lotus-Meredes
17. Marcus Ericsson - 1:28.788 / Sauber-Ferrari
18. Sergio Perez - 1:28.996 / Force India-Mercedes
19. Will Stevens - 1:31.125 / Manor-Ferrari
20. Roberto Merhi - 1:31.749 / Manor-Ferrari

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Spanish GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

Another good practice session for Mercedes & Ferrari as the two teams rounded up the top 4 times with 5th fastest being Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat. As for Kvyat's team-mate, Daniel Ricciardo, it was not the best day. Ricciardo is now on his 4th and final engine for the 2015 season. If he uses a 5th, he will be facing a grid penalty.

Early on in the session, the engine cover of Grosjean's car exploded and flew off in bits, scattering around the circuit. No one was harmed, but it was quite the shock to Grosjean and the Lotus Team.

Overall a decent session to gather data and rack up a good tally of laps before Saturday's Qualifying.

Here are the times from the session

TIMES:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:26.852 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:27.260 / Ferrari-Ferrari
3. Nico Rosberg - 1:27.852 / Mercedes-Mercedes
4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:27.780 / Ferrari-Ferrari
5. Daniil Kvyat - 1:27.943 / Red Bull-Renault
6. Max Verstappen - 1:28.017 / Toro Rosso-Renault
7. Jenson Button - 1:28.494 / McLaren-Honda
8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:28.525 / Williams-Mercedes
9. Carlos Sainz - 1:28.674 / Toro Rosso-Renault
10. Felipe Massa - 1:28.712 / Williams-Mercedes
11. Fernando Alonso - 1:28.723 / McLaren-Honda
12. Romain Grosjean - 1:29.086 / Lotus-Mercedes
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:29.098 / Red Bull-Renault
14. Pastor Maldonado - 1:29.217 / Lotus-Mercedes
15. Felipe Nasr - 1:29.333 / Sauber-Ferrari
16. Marcus Ericsson - 1:29.361 / Sauber-Ferrari
17. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:29.601 / Force India-Mercedes
18. Sergio Perez - 1:29.707 / Force India-Mercedes
19. Will Stevens - 1:31.929 / Manor-Ferrari
20. Roberto Merhi - 1:32.751 / Manor-Ferrari

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Spanish GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

The Spanish GP weekend is officially underway and it's proving to be a tough start for some teams, while others are already feeling the potential for a podium this Sunday.

3 reserve/test drivers drove in this session. Susie Wolff took over for Bottas, Raffaele Marciello took over for Marcus Ericsson and Jolyon Palmer took over for Romain Grosjean.

Daniel Ricciardo didn't get much run time as his car was facing some major problems. He ended up having his engine changed after the session due to a leak and is now on his 4th and final engine.

McLaren is looking to improve this weekend, despite not having the major upgrades yet. The session didn't go too bad for the British team, despite Alonso having a late spin after the flag was called.

Here are the times from the session.

TIMES:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:26.828 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:26.898 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:27.806 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:27.832 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Carlos Sainz - 1:28.132 / Toro Rosso-Renault

6. Max Verstappen - 1:28.529 / Toro Rosso-Renault

7. Daniil Kvyat - 1:28.785 / Red Bull-Renault

8. Felipe Massa - 1:28.831 / Williams-Mercedes

9. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:29.075 / Red Bull-Renault

10. Felipe Nasr - 1:29.140 / Sauber-Ferrari

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:29.409 / Force India-Mercedes

12. Raffaele Marciello* - 1:29.630 / Sauber-Ferrari

13. Jolyon Palmer* - 1:29.676 / Lotus-Mercedes

14. Susie Wolff* - 1:29.708 / Williams-Mercedes

15. Fernando Alonso - 1:29.813 / McLaren-Honda

16. Jenson Button - 1:29.817 / McLaren-Honda

17. Sergio Perez - 1:30.096 / Force India-Mercedes

18. Pastor Maldonado - 1:30.110 / Lotus-Mercedes

19. Will Stevens - 1:32.471 / Manor-Ferrari

20. Roberto Merhi - 1:32.647 / Manor-Ferrari

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Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Preview Quotes: Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton - "Bahrain was a tough race so to come away with the win was a great feeling and it's amazing the start we've had this year. Next up it's Barcelona, which is a great place to start the European phase of the season. The weather is always good and the circuit is a real test of every aspect of the car, which is why we go testing there. It's a great city, too. The architecture is stunning and it's a young, vibrant place so I always enjoy the weekend. Racing there is tough - it's usually hot and the circuit is incredibly physical. But the support I have in Spain is growing every time we go and, having tasted success there for the first time last year, I want to do it in even better style this time."

Nico Rosberg - "The race in Bahrain was definitely the most enjoyable of the season for me so far. It was a really good fight out there and it gave me the chance to show what I can do in a close battle. Although we had a problem at the end, the car felt fantastic and I could really push hard to get my positions back. I'm feeling really fired up for the next races knowing I have all the tools available to me for a strong performance. It's felt like a long break and I can't wait to get back out there in Barcelona. It's the first race in Europe at a track which every driver knows well, so it should make for an exciting weekend. The circuit itself really tests every element of the car - especially the aero - so it will be interesting to see how each team has developed since we last came here in the winter and also to see who has brought the most upgrades since the last race. I know our guys have been working mega hard at the factory, so let's see what we've got!"

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Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

Preview Quotes: Manor-Marussia

Will Stevens - "It's been a long break from the car, so I'm really looking forward to racing again and to getting back to some more familiar circuits. The long haul races were all new tracks for me and while it's good to have that challenge, the European circuits are all places I've raced at many times before. That kind of consistency is important at a time when we are able to start looking forward a little more and what we can do to develop during the remainder of the season."

Roberto Merhi - "A home race is always exciting, so to be racing in front of the Spanish fans in a Formula 1 car for the first time is something very special for me. It's a circuit I know really well, of course, and I love the high-speed nature of the track. The crowd at the Circuit de Barcelona are also very passionate so the atmosphere is pretty electric. I hope we can have a strong race and continue our run of two-car finishes there for them."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Preview Quotes: Toro Rosso

Carlos Sainz - "Being Spanish, the Spanish Grand Prix will always be the highlight of the year and the most special race of the season for me. I will have family and friends around and obviously, my first Formula 1 race on home soil will be something I will never forget. Barcelona is a track that we know very well, as we completed two of the three pre-season tests there, even though the track temperature will be much higher so the car balance will change completely. It will be challenging to see how much of a change there is between winter testing and May, but I'm really looking forward to the weekend ahead and it would be really nice to achieve a good result in front of my home crowd."

Max Verstappen - "This will be the first track on the calendar where I have some experience of driving a Formula 1 car, after the two winter test sessions. It is very physical, quite tough on your body, so as the temperature rises it will be challenging. I always enjoy here and generally, I am looking forward to racing again in Europe."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Calendar Changes For 2016 F1 Season

Australian Grand Prix organisers have announced that the Australian race will be on April 3rd in 2016. This starting date will actually make it the latest starting date for a Formula 1 season since 1988.

Seems as the Australian race is the only one from the next season that has been announced, some  people have been asking whether Australia will be where the season kicks off. As more people have been wondering this the race organisers have put all queries to rest as they confirmed that Australia will still be holding the first race of the season. With this in mind, we have to consider what this will mean for the rest of the season and the schedule.

The chief executive of the Australian Grand Prix has stated that he believes the season will be more condensed. This means there will be more events over a shorter period of time. There are currently known to be 20 events on the calendar next year. We should definitely expect to have more back-to-back race weekends. The races that take part on consecutive weekends will be geographical grouped.

The result of this alteration seems mostly positive as the cost will decrease. In addition to this, it is hoped that the change in calendar structure will make it easier for fans and viewers at home to keep track of race weekends. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. For now, let's just enjoy the rest of this season!

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Article Written By: Frances Fry
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Frank Williams Will Not Leave F1

Recently, Claire Williams has said that her father, the legendary Sir Frank Williams will not retire from the sport. The Williams principal is now 73 years old and is currently the oldest team principal in the sport. Despite his age, Frank remains as in love with the sport as he was when he first started. Despite his love he doesn't attend every race but his passion and leadership lives on as his daughter says that he always knows exactly what's happening both within his team and the sport.

Looking back at the past of this amazing man and his team shows a true success story. Maybe his dedication is to thank for the 114 race wins that he has lead the team through since 1977, when Patrick Head and Sir Frank Williams founded the Williams team. These wins have lead the team to win an incredible 9 constructors championships and 7 drivers titles.

The sport simply wouldn't be the same without him.

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Spanish GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Preview Quotes: Force India

Nico Hulkenberg - "The Barcelona race is one of the best weekends on the calendar. The locals are passionate and there’s always a big crowd on race day, so the atmosphere is great. I always stay in the city centre and I really like the place - plus the food is really good: I love paella. We all know the Barcelona track really well. You have to think about how to approach a lap because it’s important to look after your tyres. If you take too much out of them in the first sector, you end up paying the price in the final one, so finding the right balance is the key. The first two sectors are fairly straightforward and they are the quickest sections of the track, while the final part of the lap is more technical and low speed.

As a whole, there is a nice mix of different corners which makes this a very interesting circuit. Overtaking has always been difficult there, even with the introduction of the slow chicane at the end of the lap. The final corner is still fairly quick and it's difficult to follow another car closely. You have to lift to avoid running wide, and that usually takes away the opportunity for overtaking into turn one."

Sergio Perez - "It's nice to get to Barcelona following a good result in Bahrain. The last race was definitely a bit of a confidence boost for everyone and we will try to keep up this momentum in Spain. At the same time we expect a more challenging weekend because the characteristics of the circuit are very different to Bahrain with a lot more high-speed corners.
The weekend in Barcelona is always enjoyable. The city and the people remind me a lot of Mexico, and I really like the Spanish food. The fans also make this race special and I always feel a lot of support from the grandstands.

As a track, Barcelona is a demanding place to drive a Formula One car, with both fast and slow sections. It’s a big test of the aero package - similar to somewhere like Sepang. Overtaking is never easy because it’s difficult to get really close to another car, so good track position really pays off. The DRS zones have made it a bit easier to overtake, but you still need to be quite a bit faster than the cars you are racing."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Quotes belong to Drivers