Nico Rosberg managed to get his first win since Brazil and his first of 2015 at the 5th attempt after dominating the Spanish GP. Rosberg led a controlled race after taking pole on Saturday and after Lewis Hamilton became stuck behind the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel for most of the race after a poor start.
Hamilton would’ve wanted to have proven to Rosberg that over taking in 2015 was possible but wheel spin at the start dropped him behind the Ferrari and almost the Williams of Valtteri Bottas whom had a great start. Another with a great start was the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen whom had qualified 7th on Saturday but by the end of the first lap he had passed both Toro Rossos.
It would be the beginning of a very long day for the Red Bull sister team as they had set up their car for qualifying and had put on extra down force to preserve the rear tyres but it cost them on the straights as on lap 3 Felipe Massa, recovering from a poor grid slot, passed Carlos Sainz into T1, before Daniel Ricciardo pulled of a Carbon copy on lap 6.
Romain Grosjean had attempted to pull of the manoeuvre before Ricciardo 2 laps before but had been pushed out wide and as Maldonado tried to pass his team mate, Grosjean’s front left made contact with the back of the Venezuelan’s car causing damage to the rear wing which eventually put him out of the race giving Maldonado 5 DNFs out 5 Races.
Hamilton would’ve wanted to have proven to Rosberg that over taking in 2015 was possible but wheel spin at the start dropped him behind the Ferrari and almost the Williams of Valtteri Bottas whom had a great start. Another with a great start was the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen whom had qualified 7th on Saturday but by the end of the first lap he had passed both Toro Rossos.
It would be the beginning of a very long day for the Red Bull sister team as they had set up their car for qualifying and had put on extra down force to preserve the rear tyres but it cost them on the straights as on lap 3 Felipe Massa, recovering from a poor grid slot, passed Carlos Sainz into T1, before Daniel Ricciardo pulled of a Carbon copy on lap 6.
Romain Grosjean had attempted to pull of the manoeuvre before Ricciardo 2 laps before but had been pushed out wide and as Maldonado tried to pass his team mate, Grosjean’s front left made contact with the back of the Venezuelan’s car causing damage to the rear wing which eventually put him out of the race giving Maldonado 5 DNFs out 5 Races.
After being stuck behind Sebastian Vettel for 13 laps and after telling his team overtaking Vettel was “Impossible” Hamilton went for the undercut on the Ferrari. However the rear left was slow going on and a 5.3 second stop compared to the 2.3 second from Ferrari. Hamilton did close up until lap 21 as he couldn’t get past into the first corner, the only real place to overtake in Spain.
By Lap 30 Rosberg had pulled a 9 second lead on Vettel and Hamilton leading the Mercedes team to put Hamilton onto a 3 stop strategy to try and get past the 2 stopping Ferrari. So on lap 33 Hamilton stopped for the prime tyres and his second stop to get the Hard tyre out of the way.
However there had been drama in the pit lane after on lap 26 a visor tear off from Fernando Alonso’s helmet got lodged inside his rear brake duct and subsequently over heated and eventually caused a rear brake failure on his McLaren, but when he came into the pits the car didn’t stop and he nearly ran over his front jack man who jumped clear. But one front jack man wasn’t so lucky when Romain Grosjean ran over his front jack man on lap 40. To the amusement of the Lotus pit crew.
Vettel pitted on lap 41 for his 2nd and final stop but not covering off Hamilton meant that by the time Hamilton made his 3rd stop on lap 52 he was well ahead of the Ferrari who seemed content for 3rd place. Kimi Raikkonen’s 2 stop wasn’t helping him out as he was stuck behind Valtteri Bottas for 20 laps.
By Lap 30 Rosberg had pulled a 9 second lead on Vettel and Hamilton leading the Mercedes team to put Hamilton onto a 3 stop strategy to try and get past the 2 stopping Ferrari. So on lap 33 Hamilton stopped for the prime tyres and his second stop to get the Hard tyre out of the way.
However there had been drama in the pit lane after on lap 26 a visor tear off from Fernando Alonso’s helmet got lodged inside his rear brake duct and subsequently over heated and eventually caused a rear brake failure on his McLaren, but when he came into the pits the car didn’t stop and he nearly ran over his front jack man who jumped clear. But one front jack man wasn’t so lucky when Romain Grosjean ran over his front jack man on lap 40. To the amusement of the Lotus pit crew.
Vettel pitted on lap 41 for his 2nd and final stop but not covering off Hamilton meant that by the time Hamilton made his 3rd stop on lap 52 he was well ahead of the Ferrari who seemed content for 3rd place. Kimi Raikkonen’s 2 stop wasn’t helping him out as he was stuck behind Valtteri Bottas for 20 laps.
After a promising qualifying but a dismal race the 2 Toro Rosso’s were scrapping for 10th place on lap 63 with Carlos Sainz taking the final points place from Dutch team mate Max Verstappen who had largely been overshadowed by his team mate in Barcelona. On the final lap Sainz fancied a look at 9th placed Daniil Kvyat but a move at T1 saw the Russian just move over on the Rookie and the Toro Rosso ran off the track but overtook the Red Bull in the process. But the stewards took no action.
So it was Nico Rosberg who won in Spain with Lewis Hamilton a fighting Second and Sebastian Vettel was Third. Hard Valtteri Bottas held off Kimi Raikkonen for 4th, while Felipe Massa and Daniel Ricciardo go 6th and 7th. It was another good weekend for Lotus and Romain Grosjean who scored more points in 8th. Sainz and Kvyat rounded off the points with Force India and Sauber missing out after being overtaken in the development race, with McLaren Honda and Manor at the back.
Heading to Monaco the wise man would put their money on Mercedes taking another 1-2 but whether Rosberg can make it 3 wins in the principality or Hamilton taking his first win since 2008 and with a point to prove, one would imagine Rosberg will have to push very hard to get his hat trick.
So it was Nico Rosberg who won in Spain with Lewis Hamilton a fighting Second and Sebastian Vettel was Third. Hard Valtteri Bottas held off Kimi Raikkonen for 4th, while Felipe Massa and Daniel Ricciardo go 6th and 7th. It was another good weekend for Lotus and Romain Grosjean who scored more points in 8th. Sainz and Kvyat rounded off the points with Force India and Sauber missing out after being overtaken in the development race, with McLaren Honda and Manor at the back.
Heading to Monaco the wise man would put their money on Mercedes taking another 1-2 but whether Rosberg can make it 3 wins in the principality or Hamilton taking his first win since 2008 and with a point to prove, one would imagine Rosberg will have to push very hard to get his hat trick.
2015 Spanish Grand Prix Race Result:-
1. Nico Rosberg
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Sebastian Vettel
4. Valtteri Bottas
5. Kimi Raikkonen
6. Felipe Massa
7. Daniel Ricciardo
8. Romain Grosjean
9. Carlos Sainz
10. Daniil Kvyat
11. Max Verstappen
12. Felipe Nasr
13. Sergio Perez
14. Marcus Ericsson
15. Nico Hulkenberg
16. Jenson Button
17. Will Stevens
18. Roberto Merhi
Pastor Maldonado DNF
Fernando Alonso DNF
1. Nico Rosberg
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Sebastian Vettel
4. Valtteri Bottas
5. Kimi Raikkonen
6. Felipe Massa
7. Daniel Ricciardo
8. Romain Grosjean
9. Carlos Sainz
10. Daniil Kvyat
11. Max Verstappen
12. Felipe Nasr
13. Sergio Perez
14. Marcus Ericsson
15. Nico Hulkenberg
16. Jenson Button
17. Will Stevens
18. Roberto Merhi
Pastor Maldonado DNF
Fernando Alonso DNF