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

  1. Mellow yellowpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    .Image source, F1.com

    Plenty of Carlos Sainz fans in the house as qualifying approaches.

    You can listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra right now.

  2. Postpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  3. Get 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?

  4. 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.

    BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
  5. 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)

  6. No Hartley for qualifyingpublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    Andrew Benson
    BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

    Toro 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.

    Brendon Hartley's carImage source, Getty Images
  7. Alonso 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 Images

    Fernando 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.

  8. Who will top the podium in Spain?published at 13:28 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    Make your prediction here.

    Lewis Hamilton of MercedesImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Hamilton was victorious in Spain last year. Can he do it again?

  9. 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

  10. '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

  11. Postpublished at 13:19 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post

    This 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.

  12. Check your mirrorspublished at 13:09 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    Andrew Benson
    BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

    .Image source, Getty Images

    Ferrari 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.

  13. 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'
  14. 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.

  15. 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.

  16. Daniel Ricciardo set to join Ferrari? Plus more F1 gossippublished at 12:50 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    F1 Gossip

    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.

  17. 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.

    BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
  18. Postpublished at 12:34 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    Andrew Benson
    BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

    .Image source, Getty Images

    Brendon 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.

  19. Postpublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    Jennie Gow
    BBC Radio 5 live pit-lane reporter

    Very 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.

  20. A battle between the Mercedes drivers?published at 12:18 British Summer Time 12 May 2018

    Andrew Benson
    BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

    Lewis Hamilton of MercedesImage source, Reuters

    Lewis 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.