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Formula 1 Spanish GP

2015 Spanish Grand Prix Sunday - Spanish Grand Prix

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Verstappen locks up as Bottas and Raikkonen lap him. Sainz isn't far behind and both are gaining on Grosjean and Kvyat in eighth and ninth.
Hamilton only 0.2s faster than Rosberg this time. It's lap 62/66 and he's 12.8s adrift.
Another personal best for Vettel, and he is in the 1m30s now with a 30.7s.
So aside from Vettel causing Hamilton problems thanks to jumping him at the start, Ferrari hasn't really been in the same race as Mercedes.
Vettel shows that he's got third place covered with a personal best 1m31.075s. Meanwhile we have Rosberg in the low 1m30s and Hamilton still in the 1m29s.
Bottas is still getting a better run out of the final corner each time and staying far enough ahead of Raikkonen to maintain fourth place.
Hamilton only gets six tenths back on Rosberg that lap. +13s to the leader.
As they lap Stevens, Raikkonen gets right with Bottas for fourth again.
Kvyat continues to track Grosjean for eighth, and there's minor intrigue with Ericsson hassling Perez for 13th too.
Vettel has very much got Bottas and Raikkonen under control now. He's stabilised the gap at just over eight seconds following that tantrum in traffic earlier.
The potential Toro Rosso battle for 10th has fizzled out, as Verstappen lost less time letting the leaders through than Sainz.
Raikkonen oversteers through the final corner and loses ground to Bottas. Still no change of a pass.
Another 1.4s for Hamilton. Gap is 13.6s with six laps to go. Rosberg still looking safe.
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Williams tells Bottas to go to a different engine setting for extra "beans" in his battle with Raikkonen.
Perhaps Hamilton just wants to prove a point with this final stint. There are no Ferraris compromising his race anymore, and maybe he doesn't want Rosberg to cross the line with a nice chunky winning margin.
Raikkonen is hugging the rear of Bottas's Williams through the twisty stuff - is he now close enough for a DRS move on the straight?
Hamilton gains another 1.3s on Rosberg. Still, that's +15.0s with seven laps to go. No sign of him finding two seconds per lap just yet.
Raikkonen inches closer to Bottas still with DRS, though he's not yet near enough to try a move. Nine laps left.
EDD STRAW: "This race is underlining the class of the Mercedes. It's a circuit where a strong car aerodynamically will gain an even bigger advantage than normal and that is being reflected in the laptimes."
No sign of Hamilton letting up after that exchange with the Mercedes pitwall. It seems he wants to find out for himself if it really is impossible.

You'd suspect that the team is right on this one. Rosberg has enough in hand, and if he really needs to he can turn the wick up to protect that lead.
Also in DRS range: Kvyat on Grosjean's Lotus for eighth.
Raikkonen is within eight tenths of Bottas so can use DRS. He's not close enough on the pits straight this time.
Another 0.9s for Hamilton on Rosberg. He's +16s to Rosberg on lap 58/66.
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"We should just consolidate the position," Mercedes tells Hamilton. "Is it impossible to catch him?" he asks. The team tells him Rosberg will simply up his pace in response if Hamilton continues his charge and he'd be better off settling for second.
Another boredom-averting personal-best lap from lonely seventh-place man Ricciardo.
Raikkonen closes to within 1.4s of Bottas as they lap the Toro Rossos.
Hamilton closes by nearly 1s, 17.2s is Rosberg's lead.
Now Vettel has dealt with those frustrating laps of traffic, he appears to have enough in hand to manage the eight-second gap back to Bottas.
Another eight-tenth gain from Raikkonen on Bottas, he heads into the last 10 laps just 2.7s behind.
Only eight tenths for Hamilton this time, so Rosberg's lead is still more than 18 seconds with 10 to go.
It's Grosjean and Kvyat in eighth and ninth that the frustrated Vettel is closing on.
Vettel is already 10s behind Hamilton, with 8.3s back to Bottas in fourth.
Raikkonen gets the gap to Bottas ahead down to 3.4s.
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"Come on, blue flag! Otherwise I get stuck!" moans a frustrated Vettel.
Stopwatch
Hamilton sets another fastest lap - a 1m28.270s. He chips away at Rosberg's lead by one second, so the gap is 18.9s.

One second per lap won't be enough though with 11 laps left.
EDD STRAW: "Rosberg will be managing his loss of time to Hamilton quite happily. He can afford to give away a second a lap without any problems."
Sainz is catching Verstappen for 10th place. A spirited rookie battle for a point would perk up these final laps.
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Mercedes tells Hamilton Rosberg is 20s ahead. "Keep me up to date with his pace," he replies. Is he on a charge to catch his team-mate?
Seventh-placed Ricciardo sets a personal best lap, which gives him something to do while half a minute off Massa and 16s clear of Grosjean.
Stopwatch
Rosberg sets a new fastest lap - 1m29.109s.

Hamilton beats that with a 1m28.401s.

The gap is 19.9s on lap 54/66.

By: Matt Beer, Lawrence Barretto, Edd Straw, Glenn Freeman, Alex Kalinauckas

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