spanish grand prix spanish grand prix formally titled formula formula motor race held spain race fifth round season marked fifth running spanish grand prix round formula world championship fifth running mercedes driver took win season spain ninth career team mate finished second bad start followed report background mercedes expected dominant barcelona circuit advantage lap biggest shown strong form pre season tests circuit problems engine races saw power unit introduced new modified engine spanish grand prix aiming improve reliability ferrari brought new parts barcelona handling car switching earlier setup practice session later conceded maybe better new bits arrived barcelona new dark grey order visual impact increasingly twilight night races team representative said tyres april announced teams hard medium tyres race choice year free practice regulations season practice sessions held hour sessions friday hour session qualifying saturday fastest friday morning team mate seconds raised interest race failed stay left pit lane entrance returning pit lane runs mercedes lived expectations second quicker fastest cars test drivers took session took place wheel lotus cars prior races returned filled role malaysian grand prix making debut williams finishing tenths second regular driver quickest second session friday afternoon track temperatures rose end session extreme heat especially hard tyres led drivers complaining lack grip track split mercedes cars finished second fastest tenths second slower hamilton tenths struggled engine needed changed mid session leaving minutes running score finishing seventh eleventh place proved closer point ranks previous races suffered technical problems lotus ended engine cover car shattering start finish straight bringing red flag practice session saturday morning showed mercedes advantage softer medium tyres significant hard compound meaning able lap tenths second fastest hamilton spun turn session finished fastest tenths team mate fifth fastest setup car heard radio telling team excellent wrong settings qualifying qualifying consisted parts minutes length respectively drivers eliminated competing sessions session mercedes able proceed having use softer faster tyre compound applied ferrari team mate unhappy setup recorded time softer medium tyres upward trend continued cars progressed time team achieved took familiar place grid stevens 19th seconds time slowest car marcus second qualifying saw mercedes drivers timed run proved sufficient comfortably second eliminated lotus cars meaning rows grid taken pairs team mates session qualifying drivers minutes set times recorded provisional pole outing quarter second team mate unlike team mates williams extra set fresh tyres meaning caught fast running took row grid hamilton able improve times second running time hamilton start race grid recorded 16th pole position career post qualifying delighted result admitted expect fare race satisfied pole position season commenting course needed sooner later referring point gap championship hamilton pole position crucial importance winning race grid considered big advantage race start race away having yield second place coming pressure remained rest field got corners incidents good lap moved fifth unable capitalize good qualifying performances steadily headed order developing lead hamilton told team overtaking track impossible mercedes switched stop strategy starting lap stop marred problem wheel able ahead pitted laps later problems following laps hamilton tried overtake track avail unlike runners medium tyres middle stint chose instead run hard compound meaning force watch end race battles position opening laps saw lotus cars touch damaging rear wing came pit stop entire right plate wing taken later forcing retire lap previously retirement race brake failed torn lodging rear brake came pits lap pit box hit mechanic unable continue troublesome weekend qualifying sister team lost ground moved ahead eventually finish seventh tenth hamilton stop strategy good use consistently setting fastest laps track lap pitted second final time emerging seconds ahead hamilton quickly moved past lead hamilton came stop lap easily retaining second place ferrari subsequently tried close gap second lead proved impossible overcome remaining laps closed tried overtake laps race eventually unable leaving fifth position poor qualifying performance race drew close crossed line victory season ninth career victory ninth different winner years post race race winner said perfect weekend podium interview conducted spanish presenter official post race press conference conceded long time poor start went explain difficult overtake circuit admitted hamilton stop gone wrong unlikely stay ahead point decided drive old setup car later stated sacrifice team saying think learned lot going separate cars following yesterday today confident things balanced went point characteristics circuit suited mercedes ferrari raw speed stating concerned bigger normal gap finished seconds following difficult weekend constant problems power units repeated threats voiced earlier season exit sport advisor quoted saying don competitive engine near future coming weeks earlier stated plans enter formula team principal earlier declared season write based engine reliability issues classification qualifying race championship standings race note positions included sets standings
2015 Spanish Grand Prix