BBC Radio 5 Live

Red Bull boss Christian Horner admits he is surprised by the quick progress from 18-year-old Max Verstappen.

"He has exceeded all expectations," Horner tells BBC Radio 5 live. "He's a very talented young man, the way he has jumped in the car and done what he has done is very impressive.

"We're on the second row but it can always be better - they could be on the front row. But it is a great place to be, and it's a long run on to turn one.

"We saw on Friday that Ferrari had the strongest race pace of all the cars so we don't understand what they changed yesterday in qualifying."

Happy birthday Liz!

Can you lot stop making me jealous now please? 

Go for Tiramisu, Allan, our 5 live commentator Jack Nicholls says it is the bees knees.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Barcelona

“At Haas, they are beginning to see the grim reality of the toughness of life in F1. After a dream start, the true pace of the car is becoming clear, with a typical qualifying position in the middle of the second half of the grid. 

"Drivers Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez have complained of balance problems, but the Franco-Swiss has admitted ‘we don't know yet how to solve it. The more driving we do and the more understanding we have for the car.’ He said that ‘on a perfect day we can go close to the top 10, on a more difficult day it's a cut off at Q2.’”

Image source, Getty Images

Nine different winners of the last nine Spanish grands prix. Will there be a 10th today?

Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen are well placed for a crack at it...

Image source, F1.com

A future F1 driver?

Felipe Massa's lad hitched a lift from his father this morning. Inventive.

Massa senior has work to do today. He start from 18th on the grid.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Barcelona

“Between them, Felipe Massa and Williams made a right horlicks of qualifying. Having decided to do only one run in Q1, the Brazilian messed it up. He blamed traffic, the team sounded less convinced, but the upshot was he did not have time for another run and he ended up 18th on the grid. With rumblings growing about a change of driver line-up at Williams for next season, it was a bad time for it to happen. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas was seventh, 1.5secs off pole with the same engine as the Mercedes, feeling he had got the most out of the car.”  

Build up in on 5 live right now. Get on it.

If Lewis Hamilton wins this race he will move on to 44 career wins.

What's his car number again...?

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio 5 Live

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Barcelona

“Finally it has happened - a McLaren-Honda in the top 10. And on home ground, it was Fernando Alonso who pulled it off. The Spaniard had a comfortable edge on Jenson Button all weekend, the Englishman complaining of a ‘floaty rear’ and every time he got close to his team-mate, Alonso would go and move the goalposts again. Button admitted: ‘Fair play to Fernando, he's been very quick all weekend.’ Alonso said: ‘It is nice to be part of the show. We keep progressing. It is good news for us. Let’s enjoy this first step but  it is the first of many - regularly score points, be on the podium, before we are the benchmark for the sport.’ Alonso is a little concerned about the fact that the cars immediately behind him get free tyre choice and he does not, saying this is ‘a little bit of a handicap’ but joked: ‘At least I know my team-mate is one of them and will not attack me!’”    

Sorry to say Kerry, but I think Mat is more likely to be celebrating at the end of today...

Image source, F1.com

Here's Fernando Alonso and a fan seemingly tying a leg of ham to a fence.

As you do...