Spanish Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton beats Sebastian Vettel; Ricciardo third

Race result: Top three

1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1hr 35mins 56.497secs

2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:35:59.987

3 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 1:37:12.317

Full race result below

Race report

Lewis Hamilton has moved to within six points of Sebastian Vettel after beating his championship rival in a titanic tussle at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Pole-sitter Hamilton lost the lead to Vettel at the start only to regain the lead from the Ferrari driver in the final stages of a compelling race to seal his second victory of the year.

Hamilton punched the air in delight as he crossed the line. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo completed the podium places after Valtteri Bottas retired with an engine problem.

Hamilton had vowed to take inspiration from Bottas' lightning quick start in Russia a fortnight ago, but it was Vettel who was fastest out of the blocks here.

Despite starting on the dirtier side of the track, Vettel drew alongside Hamilton on the long run down to turn one before hugging the inside line to take the lead.

Hamilton was second but there was chaos behind as Bottas bumped into Kimi Raikkonen, who, in turn, ran into Max Verstappen. While Bottas survived the incident, Raikkonen's front-left suspension was in tatters, and although Verstappen limped back to the pits his race was over, too.

Fernando Alonso, starting in seventh after a miraculous performance in qualifying, dropped four places on the opening lap after he was edged off the track by his former Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa at turn two.

Up front, Vettel was 2.2 seconds clear of Hamilton at the end of the an incident-fuelled opening lap, and that is how it remained as the two championship protagonists traded times.

Ferrari were the first to blink as Vettel came in for his first stop at the end of lap 14. Vettel took on the soft tyre, the quickest, but less durable of the three compounds available here this weekend.

It was expected that Hamilton would pit on the following lap, but the British driver was told to stay out as Mercedes switched up their strategy. "We are creating opportunities later in the race," Pete Bonnington, Hamilton's engineer told the Briton from the Mercedes pit wall.

Hamilton eventually stopped at the end of lap 21, taking on the more durable medium rubber, and exited the pit lane nearly eight seconds adrift of Vettel.

The German, however, had greater cause for concern in the form of the other Mercedes with Bottas, yet to stop, holding him up.

But on lap 25 Vettel made his move. He threw Bottas a dummy before taking to the grass on the 200mph run down to turn one and edging his way past for the lead of the race once more.

Stoffel Vandoorne then crashed into Felipe Massa at turn one. The McLaren driver's race was instantly over and, with his car discarded in the gravel, the virtual safety car was deployed.

Mercedes sensed an opportunity and hauled Hamilton into the pit lane for his second and final stop. On went the soft tyre and Hamilton was released.

Ferrari were somewhat caught on the hop, and when they reacted to Hamilton's stop they put the slower medium compound on Vettel's car.

As the German raced away from the pit lane he emerged wheel-to-wheel with Hamilton. The British driver attempted to pass his rival around the outside but Vettel held firm and Hamilton ran off the track.

"That was dangerous," a breathless Hamilton said over the team radio. "I was more than half alongside him, and he pushed me wide." The stewards noted the incident, but took no action.

Hamilton was not about to give up, however, and after gaining once more on the Ferrari he seized his opportunity on the 44th lap. And with the combination of a tow and DRS he sailed around the outside of Vettel at turn one to reclaim the lead he had lost at the start. "I had no chance," said Vettel over the radio. "He was like a train."

Would Hamilton be able to make his tyres last? The answer was yes as he crossed the line to claim his second victory of the season, 3.4 seconds clear of Vettel.

Sergio Perez finished fourth with his Force India team-mate Esteban Ocon an impressive fifth. Alonso was only 12th while British driver Jolyon Palmer finished 16th and last of all the classified runners following another disappointing day at the office.

"That is how racing should be," said Hamilton after recording the 55th victory of his career. 

"That is as close as it could be. Sebastian was incredibly close and incredibly fast, but the team did a great job with the strategy."

Reflecting on his wheel-to-wheel battle with Vettel, Hamilton added: "In the heat of the moment it is difficult to know from the outside view what it is like. I felt like I ran out of road.

"It was definitely close but as I said that is how racing should be. I loved it. I would not change it for the world."

Vettel added: "I had a really good start and I managed to stay ahead, then settled into a nice rhythm and everything was fine.

"He came out of the pits and I was a bit surprised that it was so close. I tried to brake as late as possible. I don't know if we touched but I managed to stay ahead.

"I was doing everything I could to stay in front, but as soon as I was alone he just flew past me down the straight, which was a shame. Well done to him. He drove a good race and we did everything we could."

Final positions after race (66 laps)

1 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 1hr 35mins 56.497secs

2 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:35:59.987

3 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 1:37:12.317

4 Sergio Perez (Mex) Force India at 1 Lap

5 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Force India at 1 Lap

6 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault at 1 Lap

7 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso at 1 Lap

8 Pascal Wehrlein (Ger) Sauber-Ferrari at 1 Lap

9 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia Toro Rosso at 1 Lap

10 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 at 1 Lap

11 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Sauber-Ferrari at 2 Laps

12 Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren at 2 Laps

13 Felipe Massa (Bra) Williams at 2 Laps

14 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 at 2 Laps

15 Jolyon Palmer (Gbr) Renault at 2 Laps

16 Lance Stroll (Can) Williams at 2 Laps

Not Classified: 17 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 38 Laps completed, 18 Stoffel Vandoorne (Bel) McLaren 32 Laps completed, 19 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 1 Laps completed, 20 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 0 Laps completed

Fastest Lap: Lewis Hamilton 1min 23.593secs on lap 64

World Drivers' Championship Standings (after Spanish GP)

1 Sebastian Vettel Ger Ferrari 104pts

2 Lewis Hamilton Gbr Mercedes GP 98

3 Valtteri Bottas Fin Mercedes GP 63

4 Kimi Raikkonen Fin Ferrari 49

5 Daniel Ricciardo Aus Red Bull 37

6 Max Verstappen Ned Red Bull 35

7 Sergio Perez Mex Force India 34

8 Esteban Ocon Fra Force India 19

9 Felipe Massa Bra Williams 18

10 Carlos Sainz Spa Scuderia Toro Rosso 17

11 Nico Hulkenberg Ger Renault 14

12 Romain Grosjean Fra Haas F1 5

13 Pascal Wehrlein Ger Sauber-Ferrari 4

14 Kevin Magnussen Den Haas F1 4

15 Daniil Kvyat Rus Scuderia Toro Rosso 4

16 Marcus Ericsson Swe Sauber-Ferrari 0

17 Lance Stroll Can Williams 0

18 Fernando Alonso Spa McLaren 0

19 Antonio Giovinazzi Ita Sauber-Ferrari 0

20 Jolyon Palmer Gbr Renault 0

21 Stoffel Vandoorne Bel McLaren 0

Manufacturers' Championship

1 Mercedes GP 161pts

2 Ferrari 153

3 Red Bull 72

4 Force India 53

5 Scuderia Toro Rosso 21

6 Williams 18

7 Renault 14

8 Haas F1 9

9 Sauber-Ferrari 4

10 McLaren 0