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Formula 1
Spanish GP
2015 Spanish Grand Prix Sunday - Spanish Grand Prix
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Maldonado's next attempt on Verstappen works: a late jink to the outside under braking for Turn 1 puts the Lotus seventh.
Rosberg seems to be mastering tyre management (in terms of yanking every bit of pace from these medium Pirellis). Every time he bashes in a new fastest lap, he then eases back to a pace similar to Vettel's for a lap or two, before going for it again and taking a chunk of time from his fellow German.
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Nico Hulkenberg is told to "save some engine mode" while he's stuck in traffic down in P17.
Grosjean passes Sainz too - the fifth-place starter is out of the points in 11th after six laps.
While Alonso is holding his own in 12th, Button's bad start leaves the second McLaren mired behind the Force Indias in 18th still.
Maldonado has caught Verstappen for seventh and takes a sparky look into Turn 1. No room to make it through yet.
Stopwatch
Rosberg has the hammer down on this lap - another fastest lap with a 1m31.539s. He leads by 4.3s now. And Hamilton is 0.9 behind Vettel so he's back in DRS territory.
Bottas is heading into no-mans land while Raikkonen plays it cool, as he's nearly 3s behind Hamilton now.
Ricciardo cruises past Sainz to take ninth, and Grosjean is now all over the Toro Rosso. Verstappen still hangs on in seventh.
Rosberg leads Vettel by 3.1s at the start of lap 6.
EDD STRAW: "Looks like Raikkonen, in fifth, is playing it conservatively for the moment. Losing ground to Bottas currently and presumably planning to come back at his fellow Finn later in the stint."
Massa isn't gaining on the lead group so far - on the last lap he fell a further half-second away from Bottas and Raikkonen in front.
That's worked wonders for Vettel - he's got himself out of DRS threat from Hamilton - 1.1 ahead.
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"It's impossible to get close," Hamilton tells the Mercedes pitwall. He's 1.2s behind Vettel.
Another place lost for Toro Rosso: Maldonado hits the DRS and takes eighth from Sainz past the pits.
For the second lap running, Vettel has the better of the Mercedes drivers through the middle sector.
Vettel was looking good on that lap, but he fell back in the final sector, which lets Rosberg extend his lead to 2.7s, and it's allowed Hamilton into DRS range by the looks of things.
Though Massa is now clear of the slow-on-the-straights Toro Rossos, he's got a gap to close ahead - Raikkonen is already 4s clear in fifth.
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"Are the tyre pressures OK?" asks Jenson Button. He's complaining of a bad rear end and poor traction in both high and low speed corners. The team tells him they are normal.
Bottas slips back over the course of that lap, he's lost four tenths and is 1.7 behind the top three now. Soon he'll have to turn his attention to countryman Raikkonen behind, and try to protect fourth.
Grosjean loses momentum and Ricciardo attacks him for 10th, the Red Bull going around the outside at Turn 5.
Massa breezes past Verstappen into sixth, while in their wake the Lotus duo are side by side and Maldonado takes ninth from Grosjean.
Rosberg takes another half a second from Vettel, leading by 2.2 now. He's trying to clear off. Hamilton still 1.1 behind Vettel, so no DRS for him at this stage. Golden opportunity for Rosberg to make hay.
Bottas is 1.3 behind Hamilton in the battle for third, but pace wise he seems to be just about hanging on at this stage.
Massa does now successfully make it past Sainz into seventh. Next Toro Rosso in his sights is Verstappen.
Midfield:
11 Maldonado
12 Alonso
13 Kvyat
14 Nasr
15 Ericsson
16 Perez
17 Hulkenberg
18 Button
19 Merhi
20 Stevens
11 Maldonado
12 Alonso
13 Kvyat
14 Nasr
15 Ericsson
16 Perez
17 Hulkenberg
18 Button
19 Merhi
20 Stevens
Rosberg takes another half a second from Vettel on lap two - gap is 1.6s. Hamilton still 1.1 behind Vettel, so when DRS opens next time by he's not going to be in range as it stands.
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"Manage your ERS," Mercedes tells Hamilton.
Lap one order:
1 Rosberg
2 Vettel
3 Hamilton
4 Bottas
5 Raikkonen
6 Verstappen
7 Sainz
8 Massa
9 Grosjean
10 Ricciardo
1 Rosberg
2 Vettel
3 Hamilton
4 Bottas
5 Raikkonen
6 Verstappen
7 Sainz
8 Massa
9 Grosjean
10 Ricciardo
EDD STRAW: "This will be a big test for Rosberg. There were multiple occasions when he got himself into a winning position in the closing stages of last season and was powerless to stop Hamilton. He's got track position and, seemingly, the pace. Now it's down to him to show he can capitalise on the position he's got himself into."
Rosberg leads Vettel by 1.1, and Hamilton is 1.2 behind the Ferrari at the end of the opening lap. Bottas is 1.0 behind Hamilton.
For a moment there it looked like Bottas had cleared Hamilton into Turn 1, but the Mercedes was able to pinch him as they headed for the apex.
Massa tries a move on Sainz for seventh at the end of the back straight but has to back out of it.
Verstappen got his Toro Rosso through to fifth through the opening corners, but loses out to Raikkonen after a long tussle.
Raikkonen is getting in amongst the Toro Rossos behind the lead four.
Vettel jumps Hamilton, and the world champion has to fight hard to keep Bottas at bay into Turn 1.
Great start for Rosberg, Hamilton slipping back.
Lights out
The Spanish Grand Prix is go!
Here we go then, the cars are filing onto the grid.
Hamilton must be playing games here. He's trying to cut Rosberg adrift, and Vettel is getting impatient behind.
By: Matt Beer, Lawrence Barretto, Edd Straw, Glenn Freeman, Alex Kalinauckas
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