Hamilton again the man to beat in Spain

Mercedes teammate Rosberg and Ferrari’s Vettel already playing catch-up in title race

World champion Lewis Hamilton seeks to build on his 27-point lead in this year’s title race with another victory for Mercedes at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend.

After three wins in four races, the 30-year-old Briton has made a strong start to the defence of his crown to leave his rivals trailing and many paddock observers lost in admiration.

Earlier this week, his Mercedes team director, three-time champion Niki Lauda, said he felt the Englishman was driving like a man “from another planet.”

That may also be how his one-time teammate and local hero Fernando Alonso feels as he returns to compete on home soil looking for his first race win in two years after leaving now-resurgent Ferrari for the struggling McLaren-Honda outfit.

While Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate and championship rival Nico Rosberg bids to match the leader in equal machinery, Alonso will be in forlorn pursuit.

He will merely hope for a points finish behind Ferrari, Williams and the rest while his successor in the scarlet scuderia, four-time champion Sebastian Vettel looks for his second win this year.

Rosberg will he hoping he can translate his speed from pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya into a winning performance for the first time since last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix and so prevent Hamilton’s juggernaut-like run of triumphs.

Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff has no doubt that Rosberg can mount a serious title challenge, despite appearing well beaten in four successive qualifying sessions and races this year.