2017 F1 Round 5, Spanish Grand Prix Race: Hamilton edges Vettel as first-lap collision ends Räikkönen and Verstappen’s races

The Spanish Grand Prix ran for 66 laps. Hamilton started from pole, but Vettel quickly took the inside line after the start and passed him before Turn 1. A multi-car incident on the opening lap disrupted the race, with Räikkönen and Verstappen colliding and retiring. Bottas’s Mercedes was also involved.

Alonso started seventh and made contact with Massa, running wide off the track. Both continued and eventually finished 12th and 13th respectively. Another opening-lap collision began with contact between Bottas, Räikkönen and Verstappen. The latter two suffered suspension damage and retired immediately.

Vettel built a lead early on and tried to keep Hamilton under control by pitting earlier. Mercedes extended Hamilton’s first stint, allowing him to chase on fresher tyres in the second half of the race. The different strategies of the two title contenders produced a sustained battle for the lead.

On lap 34, Vandoorne collided with Massa at Turn 1 and stopped in the run-off area, prompting a virtual safety car. Vandoorne retired, while Massa continued to the finish. The interruption affected teams’ pit-stop timing and gave Hamilton an opportunity to close on Vettel.

Bottas retired on lap 39 with a power-unit failure. Hamilton reduced the gap to Vettel by stopping during the virtual safety-car period and continued to apply pressure after switching to soft tyres. Mercedes’ hopes of victory now rested on him.

On lap 44, Hamilton used DRS to pass Vettel at the end of the main straight and regain the lead. They had earlier run side by side at Turn 1, where Vettel briefly held his position, but Hamilton subsequently made the decisive pass and gradually built a comfortable gap.

Hamilton crossed the line in 1 hour 35 minutes 56.497 seconds, 3.490s ahead of Vettel, to claim his second win of the season. Ricciardo finished third, 75.820s behind, for his first podium of the season. Pérez, Ocon, Hülkenberg and home driver Sainz also finished in the top seven.

The table below shows the official F1 final race classification and points. Wehrlein received a five-second penalty for failing to follow the pit-entry bollard rules but retained eighth place. Bottas, Vandoorne, Verstappen and Räikkönen were all listed as retired. Alonso finished 12th and Massa 13th.