F1 Spanish Grand Prix 2021: what time does the Formula 1 GP race start, schedule and how to watch live on TV

Lewis Hamiton will look to continue where he left off in Portugal when Formula 1 head to Spain for the fourth Grand Prix of the 2021 season.

Seven-time champion Hamilton, no stranger to leading from the front, tops the F1 drivers’ standings with two wins from three so far this campaign.

Victory in Bahrain, in the first GP of the planned record 23-race season, was followed by a second placed finish at the Emilia Romagna in round two.

The Mercedes driver returned to take the chequered flag in Portugal ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, as their rivalry for honours continues to heat up.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix 2021.

When is the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix?

In 2021, the racing schedule in Spain is split up over three days - starting on Friday 7 May and finishing on Sunday 9 May.

Two practice sessions take place on 7 May before a third and final practice session takes place on the morning of 8 May, followed by a qualifying session that afternoon.

The Spanish Grand Prix takes place on Sunday 9 May.

What time does the Spanish Grand Prix 2021 start?

All five Formula One sessions have been allocated their own time slot.

On 7 May, the first one-hour practice session starts at 10.30am followed by the second practice at 2pm. The third practice session on 8 May runs from 11am-12noon.

Qualifying for the Spanish GP starts at 2pm and finishes at 3pm on 8 May before the main event on Sunday 9 May, which starts at 2pm. All times are correct for the UK audience.

Where is the Spanish GP circuit?

The Spanish Grand Prix takes place just north of Barcelona in Montmelo, Catalonia, in Spain, over 66 laps of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The track, which has a circuit length of 4.675km, was built as part of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics development programme and held its first Grand Prix in 1991.

The Grand Prix enjoyed a sensational debut which saw Nigel Mansell take victory after going wheel-to-wheel with Ayrton Senna in a thrilling race.

What TV channel is the Spanish Grand Prix on?

Practice and qualifying sessions - and the Spanish GP - will be aired live on Sky Sports’s dedicated Formula One channel Sky Sports F1.

Sky customers who subscribe to the channel will get unprecedented coverage of the entire 2021 season and all the twists and turns that go with it.

Sky Sports F1 costs £18 per month to add as an individual channel for customers, while the complete sports package costs £25 per month.

Highlights of the Spanish Grand Prix will later be shown on Channel 4.

What time does TV coverage of the Spanish GP start?

All practice and qualifying sessions of the Spanish Grand prix can be watched live through Sky Sports’s Formula One channel.

Coverage of the Spanish GP on 9 May begins at 1.55pm and runs until 4pm, or until the race finishes, before all the action is dissected in the post-race programming.

The highlights are available on terrestrial TV Channel 4 from 6.30pm on the same day.

How can I live stream the Spanish Grand Prix?

Sky Sports customers can stream the Spanish GP through the Sky Go app on various digital devices, including phones and tablets.

Non-Sky customers can opt for a day or month pass of Sky Sports channels through NOW TV without committing to a contract.

The cost of NOW TV passes vary from £9.99 for a day pass to £33.99 for a month pass and can be streamed through the NOW TV app.

The NOW TV app can be found on most smart TVs, as well as phones, tablets and computers - depending on your viewing preference.

What are the latest odds on the Spanish GP winner?

Lewis Hamilton is favourite to take the chequered flag in Spain over the weekend ahead of Max Verstappen with many of the online bookies.

As of 6 May, Hamilton is 11/10 with Bet365, PaddyPower, William Hill and BetFair to win the Spanish Grand Prix ahead of Verstappen (6/4).

Valtteri Bottas is 7/1 with SkyBet and Sergio Perez 14/1 with SBK.