Lewis Hamilton kept delivering on the hype on Sunday by moving to the top of the charts in the 2007 drivers’ championship.
Despite being the only McLaren or Ferrari driver in 2007 yet to win a single grand prix so far this year, the 22-year-old again outperformed his teammate Fernando Alonso, who finished just third in front of 145,000 fellow Spaniards in Barcelona.
Ferrari’s Felipe Massa dominantly won the race, after Alonso ran into the gravel following a first-corner stoush for the lead. Massa’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen retired, and shortly before leaving the Circuit de Catalunya mid-race told reporters that he thought the F2007’s terminal issue related to electronics.
Further down the field, technical gremlins played a leading role in the outcome of the Spanish grand prix. The first casualty was Jarno Trulli, whose stalled Toyota caused the entire field to do another warm-up lap while he was pushed into the pitlane.
Both Toro Rossos expired, Scott Speed going out with a spectacular rear tyre failure. Australia’s Mark Webber again retired his Red Bull, and Alex Wurz exited after ramming into Ralf Schumacher’s rear.
BMW-Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld’s impressive run in 2007 ended with a botched pit stop, and he later retired, while Massa was the first to greet the chequered flag even though his Ferrari belched fire after a visit to the pits.
Spanish GP, race
1 F. Massa Ferrari 1:31:36.230
2 L. Hamilton McLaren + 6.670
3 F. Alonso McLaren + 17.456
4 R. Kubica BMW + 31.615
5 D. Coulthard Red Bull + 58.331
6 N. Rosberg Williams + 59.538
7 H. Kovalainen Renault + 62.128
8 T. Sato Super Aguri + 1 lap
9 G. Fisichella Renault + 1 lap
10 R. Barrichello Honda + 1 lap
11 A. Davidson Super Aguri + 1 lap
12 J. Button Honda + 1 lap
13 A. Sutil Spyker F1 + 2 laps
