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Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.

Lap No:32 Raikkonen makes a daring maneuver around the outside of Vettel through Turns 10 and 11 but is held off by the German.

Lap No:31 Rosberg is scheduled to run two laps longer than his previous stint. Bianchi makes his third stop of the day.

Lap No:30 Hamilton retakes P14 from Maldonado. Raikkonen has now closed right up on Vettel's tail through the second DRS zone but is unable to get by.

Lap No:29 Bottas pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P16. A battle for P3 shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as the Ferraris of Alonso and Massa hold the top two positions.

Lap No:28 Rosberg pits out of P5 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P11. We learn that Kimi used KERS at pit exit to race Rosberg coming by.

Lap No:27 Raikkonen gives up the lead for a fresh set of option tyres and rejoins in P4, right in front of Rosberg. Once again, Hamilton appears powerless under braking, as Maldonado passes him for P14 at Turn 7.

Lap No:26 On replay, we see Webber, and soon after, di Resta, easily make their way past Hamilton under braking for the slower corners. van der Garde has to retire with a damaged left-rear. Hamilton pits out of P10 for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P14.

Lap No:25 Vettel gives up the lead for his second stop. He takes on a fresh set of primes and rejoins in P5. Raikkonen, who is now in the lead, will want to focus on nailing down some solid laps in the clean air. Webber streams past Gutierrez on the front straight to take over P7.

Lap No:24 Lead battle shaping up between Vettel and Raikkonen, as they run within a half second of each other. Massa gets by Rosberg for P4 on the front straight. Perez makes his second stop of the day to take on a fresh set of primes.

Lap No:23 Hulkenberg gave up P9 to pit. Alonso easily streams past Rosberg on the front straight to take over P3. On replay, we see the left-rear wheel coming off van der Garde's Caterham. He comes in at the end of the lap, riding on three wheels.

Lap No:22 Alonso gives up the lead to take on a fresh set of prime tyres. Massa beginning to come under pressure from Perez for P5. van der Garde complains of a possibly loose wheel after his most recent stop. His team tells him to try and make it back to the pits.

Lap No:21 Massa pits for a new set of prime tyres. Webber also in, for his second stop. Hamilton now has the Sauber duo of Hulkenberg and Gutierrez on his tail, challenging for P8.

Lap No:20 di Resta gives up P10 to make his first stop. On slow motion replays, we see sigificant graining on Vettel's left-front tyre.

Lap No:19 Ricciardo goes around the outside of di Resta under braking for Turn 1 and takes over P8. On replay, we see Gutierrez outbrake Vergne for P12 at Turn 5, locking up his left-front tyre in the process.

Lap No:18 di Resta has Ricciardo right on his tail, challenging for P8. Perez now within DRS range of Webber. Webber tells him team, 'trouble is, with the front-left'.

Lap No:17 Webber is being caught by Perez for P6. His team informs him that Perez is on the same strategy as him and on three lap newer tyres.

Lap No:16 Rosberg's team informs him that Webber, coming up behind him, is on a four stop strategy. Hamilton gets informed by his team that he is managing his "traction matrix" better than Rosberg, so "doing a good job".

Lap No:15 Raikkonen gets by Rosberg at Turn 1, to take over P4. Vettel's team cautions him to take care of his tyres and that it is the last five laps that matter. Ricciardo outbrakes Hamilton to take over P9.

Lap No:14 Alonso inherits P1 as Gutierrez makes his first stop of the day. Rosberg now has to fend off the advances of Raikkonen, who is on the option tyre.

Lap No:13 Alonso pulls off a surprise move around the outside of Rosberg under braking for Turn 1 and takes over the lead, to raucous approval from the spectators. Vettel also slips by Rosberg, at Turn 6, followed soon after by Massa as well.

Lap No:12 Maldonado has been awarded a drive through penalty for speeding in pitlane. Button pits for a swap to the prime tyres. A three-car train comprising Alonso, Vettel and Massa forming up behind Rosberg for P2. It appears both Mercedes are struggling under braking for Turn 10.

Lap No:11 Maldonado is under investigation for speeding in the pit lane. Vettel, Rosberg and Raikkonen pit in unision. Rosberg is able to come out in front of Alonso but Vettel has to slot in behind the Spaniard. Gutierrez now leads. Raikkonen outbrakes Button at Turn 10.

Lap No:10 Alonso pits out of P3 to take on prime tyres. He rejoins in P7, behind Hamilton. Perez has been reminded to protect his left-front and rear tyres. Webber sets fastest lap.

Lap No:9 Massa gives up P5 to pit. Sutil also in. Massa takes on prime tyres. Sutil's stop is taking longer than usual, as smoke starts to emanate from his Force India. Grosjean comes in to the pits with a skewed right-rear tyre. He comes to a stop in his stall and it looks like his race could be over with suspension damage.

Lap No:8 Webber pits for a fresh set of prime tyres and rejoins in P21. His team tells him to push early in this stint. Hamilton now coming under pressure from Massa, who promptly makes his way past as Hamilton appears to be struggling under braking.

Lap No:7 Raikkonen dives inside Hamilton at Turn 7 to take over P4. Webber's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap, possibly indicating a four stop strategy.

Lap No:6 Hamilton has now fallen out of Alonso's DRS range. A four way battle for P4 shaping up between Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa and Perez.

Lap No:5 Mercedes to Hamilton, 'think about your brake balance'. Button complains that his car feels too greasy, as he languishes down in P17 after starting in P14.

Lap No:4 On replay, we see Hamilton had to lock-up in a big way under braking for Turn 1 on the opening lap, causing a flat spot. Webber, who dropped quite sharply on the opening lap, is currently holding P11.

Lap No:3 DRS has been enabled by Race Control. A queue beginning to form up behind Rosberg, whose team cautions him to look after his tyres. Bianchi pits.

Lap No:2 Perez is on a charge, as is di Resta. Hamilton is able to settle in behind Vettel and Alonso.

Lap No:1 The red lights go out and the Spanish Grand Prix is go! Rosberg makes a good start and holds on to the lead through the first turn but a slower getaway by teammate Hamilton sees him drop to P3 as Vettel goes by him. Alonso always overtakes Hamilton through the uphill bend leading up to Turn 4.

Lap No:0 Hello and welcome to the Circuit de Catalunya as we get ready to cover the Spanish Grand Prix, where the series kicks off the European leg of its season. Vettel comes in with a ten point lead over Raikkonen in the driver standings. Rosberg will lead an all-Mercedes front row alongside Hamilton. Points leader Vettel will head the second row, alongside Raikkonen. Home hero Alonso could only manage fifth starting position. Massa and Gutierrez were awarded three grid place penalties each for impeding Webber and Raikkonen respectively, during qualifying. As a result, they will start ninth and nineteenth as a result. The circuit has been a mainstay on the calendar ever since it was built in 1991 and over the years, it has been a popular testing venue as well, so it is very well known by the teams and drivers. Particularly taxing on tyres, the track comprises a mix of slow, medium and high speed corners. Most teams will be running a high downforce setup. Among the dry tyre compounds on offer this weekend, the 'prime' compound will be the orange sidewalled Hard tyre while the 'option' compound will be the white sidewalled Medium tyre. Starting this weekend, Pirelli has introduced a new hard compound that is closer to the 2012 tyre and more predictable for the teams. There will be two DRS zones. One on the pit straight with activation right just after the final turn and the other on the run down from Turn 9 to 10, with activation on the exit of the hairpin. Conditions are expected to stay dry for the duration of the race. The drivers have just set off on their warm-up laps.

Alonso was a proud victor on home soil after winning the Spanish Grand Prix. Starting fifth on the grid, he began making up positions immediately after the start and combined with fast stops and good strategy from Ferrari, was able to handily beat Raikkonen and teammate Massa. The Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber finished fourth and fifth, in what was an uncharacteristically mediocre day for the team. Even though both Mercedes started on the front row, polesitter Rosberg struggled to finish sixth while Hamilton finished out of the points in twelfth. Obviously, still a lot of issues to be worked out by the team. di Resta drove a good race to finish seventh, as did Button to turn a fourteenth place start into an eight place finish, ahead of teammate Perez. Ricciardo rounded out the top-10 as he held off Gutierrez for the final points paying position near the end. Raikkonen closed up to within four points of Vettel in the driver standings heading into the next round. Join us here again in two weeks' time as we bring you live coverage of the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix.

Lap No:66 Alonso starts out on the final lap, comfortably in front of Raikkonen and an adulating home crowd. He crosses the finish line to collect the chequered flag, ahead of Raikkonen and Massa. We learn that di Resta was unable to use DRS on the last lap. Gutierrez was unable to get past Ricciardo for P10. Alonso grabs the Spanish flag to hold up high on his drive back to the pits.

Lap No:65 Gutierrez continues to run right behind Ricciardo, looking for a way past into P10 in order to score his first career points.

Lap No:64 Gutierrez has closed up to within DRS range of Ricciardo. Both Rosberg and di Resta were able to use DRS that last time, due to the presence of lapped vehicles in front of them.

Lap No:63 di Resta has closed up to the back for Rosberg, as he steps up the challenge for P6. He engages DRS through the first zone but fails to get past.

Lap No:62 Massa asks for help in managing oversteer. His team tells him to move differential entry map one click up.

Lap No:61 Gutierrez has been informed that he is catching Ricciardo at the rate of two seconds a lap. Perez's team tells him that they cannot afford to wear out the tyres chasing Button.

Lap No:60 Chilton has been informed by his team that he is losing two tenths to teammate Bianchi at the second sector.

Lap No:59 Battle for P8 shaping between McLaren teammates Button and Perez. Button has it, Perez wants it.

Lap No:58 Massa has been told to only rev to "one light" on the dashboard RPM indicator LED, on the exit of T5. Ricciardo's pitboard states '+ PUSH'.

Lap No:57 di Resta closes up on the back of Rosberg heading into Turn 1. Massa sets the new fastest lap.

Lap No:56 Gutierrez pits. Rosberg's team reminds him to look after his rear tyres.

Lap No:55 Vergne has had to retire for the second race in a row, due to left-rear damage this time. di Resta, Maldonado and Hulkenberg pit. Hamilton begins to come under pressure for P12 from Sutil.

Lap No:54 Perez has been warned not to damage the tyres at the beginning of the stint for the first two laps in order to make it to the end.

Lap No:53 A battle for P17 shaping up between Pic and Vergne. On replay, we see Webber zip by di Resta for P5 on the main straight.

Lap No:52 Massa pits out of P3 for a swap to the prime tyres and rejoins in P2. Vettel also pits for primes and rejoins in P4. Ricciardo makes his fourth stop of the day, giving up P7.

Lap No:51 Sutil stops for the fourth time. Webber also in. Button goes by Hamilton on the front straight to take over P11. Vettel's team tells him to be careful with the left-front tyre.

Lap No:50 Alonso pits out of the lead to swap to the prime tyre. He rejoins, still in the lead. Hamilton's team tells him that his teammate Rosberg is lifting between Turns 3 and 4 to preserve his left-front tyre.

Lap No:49 We are hearing that Massa is due to pit within three laps.

Lap No:48 Button gives up P9 to pit. Bianchi also in. Webber felt the left-front tyre 'hangs on better' while on the options. He is due to take on prime tyres next however.

Lap No:47 We notice a fair amount of debris on the straight between Turns 12 and 13.

Lap No:46 Raikkonen pits for a swap to the prime tyres for the first time in this race. di Resta gets by Button for P7.

Lap No:45 Massa is scheduled to pit within seven laps. Raikkonen's team tells him to pit at the end of the lap.

Lap No:44 Vettel has been given permission by his team to use up his tyres.

Lap No:43 Gutierrez pits out of P9 for a set of option tyres. Perez's team told him to mind left-front tyre wear on entry to Turns 1, 4 and 9.

Lap No:42 Button moves past Gutierrez at the end of the first DRS zone and takes over P7 under braking for Turn 1. Bianchi's team tells him that his current set of tyres needs to last for four to five laps.

Lap No:41 Gutierrez begins to come under pressure from Button for P7. He locks up slightly under braking for Turn 10. Ricciardo complains of struggling with the left-rear.

Lap No:40 Raikkonen's team tells him that his front brakes are too hot and the rears too cold and to move brake bias rearward. Ricciardo's team tells him that the front wing flap has reached its maximum angle and cannot be further adjusted.

Lap No:39 Raikkonen is a sitting duck as Alonso passes him for the lead on the main straight, using DRS. Vergne pits for a swap to option tyres. On replay, we see his right-rear tyre had disintegrated.

Lap No:38 Hamilton gives up P12 to make his third stop, as does Sutil. Alonso has closed up to within DRS range of Alonso. Hulkenberg has been assessed a ten second stop-n-go penalty for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:37 Massa also pits for a swap to the option tyres and rejoins in P4. Raikkonen now takes over the lead. Webber also pits for a swap to the option tyres.

Lap No:36 Hulkenberg comes back to the pits for a new front wing. Alonso swaps to the prime tyres.

Lap No:35 Hulkenberg pits for a fresh set of prime tyres. As he leaves his stall, he makes contact with Vergne's Torro Rosso. Front wing damage for Hulkenberg after that and possible investigation for unsafe pit release.

Lap No:34 Rosberg moves past Hulkenberg to take over P7.

Lap No:33 Raikkonen finally makes it stick past Vettel on the inside under braking for Turn 1 to take over P3. On replay, we see Ricciardo pass Gutierrez around the outside at Turn 1 to take over P9.