Mellow yellowpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Image source, F1.comPlenty of Carlos Sainz fans in the house as qualifying approaches.
You can listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra right now.
Summary
Hamilton on pole, Bottas 2nd, Vettel 3rd
Sunday's race is live on 5 live sports extra and the BBC Sport website at 14:10 BST
Vettel top in Q1 & Q2, Stroll crashes, Alonso in top 10 shoot out
Hartley out after heavy crash, Hulkenberg out in Q1
Mellow yellowpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Image source, F1.comPostpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
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End of twitter postGet involved #bbcf1published at 13:46 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Kayleigh: Think it’s be a Mercedes 1-2 today, hopefully with Bottas leading the way! Q3 for both McLarens too?
Listen to qualifyingpublished at 13:43 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Qualifying gets under way at 14:00 BST.
Listen to full commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra from 13:55 by using the media player at the top of this page.
Get involved #bbcf1published at 13:42 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Almost time or qualifying so send in your top three predictions.
Also, Spain is where we usually see all sorts of new upgrades for teams so, with that in mind, what weird and wonderful upgrades would you add to your car in F1?
Let us know via #bbcf1 or text in via 81111 (UK only)
No Hartley for qualifyingpublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writerToro Rosso say Hartley won’t make it out in qualifying. The car is too badly damaged after his high-speed crash in practice. They are getting the car ready for the race.
Image source, Getty ImagesAlonso into the top 10?published at 13:35 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
Image source, Getty ImagesFernando Alonso was positive about McLaren's major nose upgrade after practice yesterday, saying he believed it was a definite step forward. But at this stage it does not appear to be the quantum leap they need.
The Spaniard was ninth quickest in final practice, with both Haas cars and Carlos Sainz’s Renault ahead of him, and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull behind after suffering an electrical problem and missing much of the session.
Alonso’s ambition of making the top 10 on the grid for the first time might be doable, but it looks likely to be touch and go.
Who will top the podium in Spain?published at 13:28 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Make your prediction here.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Hamilton was victorious in Spain last year. Can he do it again?
The man who made F1 great - without meaning topublished at 13:25 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
A man who has led more F1 races than anyone else...
BBC Sport's Jack Nicholls credits a man few people know for the entertaining start to the 2018 Formula 1 season.
Media caption, Meet the man who has made F1 great again
'The tapas makes you quicker in Spain'published at 13:20 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Jolyon Palmer and Jack Nicholls look forward to this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix from Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Will it follow the drama of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku? And can Lewis Hamilton follow up on his first win of the season?
Media caption, Formula 1: Formula 1 returns to Barcelona
Postpublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
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End of twitter postThis looks like a really useful and important neck exercise and everything but I would really love to use that big rubber band as a catapult like *niche reference alert* Wile E. Coyote uses in Roadrunner.
Check your mirrorspublished at 13:09 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
Image source, Getty ImagesFerrari have this weekend become the first team to mount rear-view mirrors on the halo head-protection device following an FIA rule clarification.
But this has caused some consternation.
Not everyone agrees with the idea in principle and there are concerns it could open up a new aerodynamic development race in an area that is meant to be a safety device. There are also question marks about whether what has been approved by the FIA is technically in accordance with their rules, especially the upper fairing, which is there to act as a support for the mirror, but also functions as a wing.
Other teams have approached the FIA with requests to do a similar thing, and the whole issue is to be reviewed after this race. It’s not impossible it could be banned, but that remains to be seen.
Final practice summarypublished at 13:04 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
- Lewis Hamilton set the pace with a 1:17.281 set on the super-softs
- Valtteri Bottas was second quickest, just 0.010s slower
- Sebastian Vettel three tenths off Hamilton's pace in third
- Brendon Hartley crashed heavily at the end of practice
- Max Verstappen spent most of the session in the Red Bull garage with an issue after apparently 'pressing the wrong button'
Postpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Image source, .Sebastian Vettel has been on pole in three of the four races so far this season, but Spain has not been a happy hunting ground for him in qualifying. He has yet to claim pole position here.
Get involved #bbcf1published at 12:55 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Tracey Pankhurst: I know the costing was high years ago but this is probably the time they wish they still had a third car so Hartley could’ve jumped in and qualified this afternoon, as long as he wasn’t injured during impact obviously.
Daniel Ricciardo set to join Ferrari? Plus more F1 gossippublished at 12:50 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Here's some of today's F1 gossip from around the world...
Former world champion Jenson Button tips Daniel Ricciardo to join Ferrari when his Red Bull contract ends at the end of the season. (Sky Sports), external
Max Verstappen says Red Bull are confident of a strong performance in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix following their extensive car upgrades. (Express), external
Check out some more gossip here.
What time's qualifying?published at 12:44 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Qualifying gets under way at 14:00 BST, one hour later than we are used to.
Once again you can listen to audio commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra from 13:55.
Postpublished at 12:34 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
Image source, Getty ImagesBrendon Hartley looks unlikely to make qualifying after his huge accident at Turn Nine at the end of final practice. The New Zealander dropped a rear wheel partly off the track on entry and spun at high speed into the barriers at the 160mph corner. The car was badly damaged and as it was picked up by the recovery crane, the engine and gearbox fell of the back.
Hartley made a belated F1 debut towards the end of last season after a successful career in sportscars. He is a nice guy, clearly intelligent, mature, with his feet on the ground, and with good technical feedback. But the pressure is building - the team are known to be unhappy with the number of mistakes he is making and there is already speculation about how long he might last in F1.
Postpublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Jennie Gow
BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporterVery unlikely Hartley will be out for quali. Speaking to the team, they need to wait until car comes back to see damage but a spare would take about 6-8 hours to build up so think that’s the last of his running for today.
A battle between the Mercedes drivers?published at 12:18 British Summer Time 12 May 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
Image source, ReutersLewis Hamilton’s main rival for his first pole position since the opening race in Australia looks to be Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas on the basis of final practice.
Mercedes were very quick here in pre-season testing and they appear to have a small but decisive advantage at the race weekend, too.
Hamilton was 0.269 seconds clear of the fastest Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel. Red Bull, for whom Daniel Ricciardo was 0.7secs off the pace, don’t appear to be in the mix for pole despite a major aerodynamic upgrade this weekend.