F1 Spanish Grand Prix Friday Practice: As it happened
Last Updated: 20 May 2022 - 17:09
Follow Friday practice for F1's Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with Crash.net's live blog.
Ferrari heads to Barcelona in search of their first F1 win at the Spanish Grand Prix since 2013.
Charles Leclerc remains top of the drivers' championship but he has seen his lead reduced significantly following back-to-back victories for reigning champion Max Verstappen.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been a regular fixture on the F1 calendar in recent years and Mercedes has dominated the race in recent years.
Since 2014, Mercedes have won all but one of every Spanish Grand Prix, but they have remained undefeated in qualifying since 2013.
While it's unlikely Mercedes will be able to continue that trend in 2022, they will be hopeful of an improvement in form.
Spain is often the place many teams introduce new upgrades given that it is in Europe, close to the team's factories and testing takes place at the same venue, giving them good data to compare with from February.
This has been the case with Aston Martin catching the headlines for their Red Bull-like car design.
Mercedes, Alfa Romeo and McLaren also have extensive upgrades for this weekend.
F1 Spanish Grand Prix Friday Practice: As it happened
Follow Friday practice for F1's Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with Crash.net's live blog.
Ferrari heads to Barcelona in search of their first F1 win at the Spanish Grand Prix since 2013.
Charles Leclerc remains top of the drivers' championship but he has seen his lead reduced significantly following back-to-back victories for reigning champion Max Verstappen.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been a regular fixture on the F1 calendar in recent years and Mercedes has dominated the race in recent years.
Since 2014, Mercedes have won all but one of every Spanish Grand Prix, but they have remained undefeated in qualifying since 2013.
While it's unlikely Mercedes will be able to continue that trend in 2022, they will be hopeful of an improvement in form.
Spain is often the place many teams introduce new upgrades given that it is in Europe, close to the team's factories and testing takes place at the same venue, giving them good data to compare with from February.
This has been the case with Aston Martin catching the headlines for their Red Bull-like car design.
Mercedes, Alfa Romeo and McLaren also have extensive upgrades for this weekend.
Recent F1 Spanish GP winners:
2021: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2020: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2019: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2018: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2016: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2015: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2014: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2013: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2012: Pastor Maldonado (Williams)
2011: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
That concludes our live coverage today. We will be back tomorrow for FP3 and qualifying.
Chequered flag out - Leclerc quickest ahead of Russell and Hamilton.
Into the final five minutes.
"Every time we touch the throttle we are sideways," Gasly reports over team radio.
The order after the quali sims:
Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton, Sainz, Verstappen, Alonso, Perez, Vettel, Ocon and Schumacher.
Hamilton slots into third to make it a Mercedes 2-3 in FP2.
Russell impresses with second in the Mercedes, 0.117s off Leclerc.
Leclerc sets a very hot lap! A 1m19.670s, 0.3s ahead of his teammate.
Sainz takes to the top with a 1m19.990s, less than a tenth ahead of Verstappen.
Verstappen smashes Vettel that time with a 1m20.006s.
Perez slots behind Vettel on the softs - just 0.089s between the pair.
Vettel takes to the top on the softs with a 1m20.703s, 0.2s ahead of Verstappen, who's circulating on the softs now.
Current top 10: Verstappen, Sainz, Leclerc, Hamilton, Russell, Bottas, Perez, Alonso, Gasly and Vettel.
"Something's broken," Bottas reported over team radio before his stoppage.
Virtual Safety Car deployed - Bottas has stopped out on track.
Bottas' first time of the day puts him sixth on the timesheets, just ahead of Alonso.
Bottas takes to the track for his first laps of the day.
A scrappy last sector puts Leclerc third overall, 0.063s off Verstappen. Hamilton moves up to fourth in the Mercedes.