Lewis Hamilton leads the way in Spanish Grand Prix practice

The Briton, 30 points clear of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen after five races, set a time of one minute 17.222 seconds, 0.151 seconds quicker than Bottas, on a sweltering afternoon at the Circuit de Catalunya outside Barcelona.

The Mercedes pair had also led the Friday practice timesheets, Bottas quicker in the morning before Hamilton deposed him with the fastest time of the day in the afternoon.

Verstappen, winner of the 70th Anniversary race last Sunday and third in both sessions on Friday, was once again best-of-the-rest 0.515 seconds adrift.

The session, the final hour of practice ahead of qualifying, was halted with a little over two minutes on the clock after Frenchman Ocon crashed into the barriers at the exit of the fast Turn 3, wiping the nose off his Renault. The 23-year-old blamed the slow-moving Kevin Magnussen for the incident.

Replays showed Ocon, who was glancing into his rear view mirror as the slower Haas moved off the racing line, spearing into the barrier as he veered to avoid the Danish driver’s Haas. Stewards said they are looking into the incident.

Carlos Sainz, the only Spanish driver on the grid, was fourth for McLaren, even if there were no fans to cheer him on with this weekend’s event held behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sergio Perez, who missed the last two races after he contracted COVID-19, was fifth in his Racing Point.

Charles Leclerc was the lead Ferrari in sixth ahead of Alpha Tauri’s Pierre Gasly and Racing Point’s Lance Stroll.

Alexander Albon in the other Red Bull was ninth with Daniel Ricciardo tenth for Renault.

Sebastian Vettel continued to struggle. The German has a new chassis this weekend after Ferrari found a crack in the one he drove at the 70th Anniversary race.

Still, the four-time champion, who is leaving Ferrari at the end of this season, could do no better than 12th half-a-second slower than Leclerc.

Mercedes have started every race this season from pole. Verstappen’s win last Sunday at Silverstone ended their race day domination as the reigning champions wilted in the heat.

But they have looked stronger this weekend, despite similarly scorching heat, with track temperatures hovering around 44 degrees Celsius during Saturday’s practice.