While Max Verstappen’s clash with George Russell captivated the audience in the closing stages of the race, the rest of the Spanish Grand Prix gave the Formula One community much to discuss. Let’s go over what happened during this race, and the lessons learnt from Spain.
McLaren 1-2 with Max Verstappen 10th is not a typo. Oscar Piastri set the tone again with this win. He sent a message saying that he’s leading the championship now, and no one seems able to stop him. Pole to flag, with no drama nor fuss. The only thing hotter than Catalunya’s tarmac was the grip McLaren had on the race.
It was Oscar’s fifth win of the season, seventh overall, and McLaren’s 196th. But more than the numbers, it was the feeling like we’ve fully stepped into the Piastri era. He had clean restarts, perfect tire management and the fastest lap for good measure. He ticked every box. Lando Norris kept the gap honest for a while, especially mid-race in traffic, but after the late Safety Car even that fizzled.
Piastri nailed the start. Verstappen gave chase early, but it didn’t last. McLaren’s two-stop plan unfolded like they’d seen the race before it happened. Even a late Safety Car (courtesy of Antonelli’s Power Unit induced retirement) couldn’t shake Piastri’s flow. He lit it up on the restart and never looked back.
Verstappen, meanwhile, tried his hand at a three-stop strategy to gain an advantage over the other drivers. It had potential right until he slapped on hard tyres after the Safety Car and became a rolling roadblock. Then it got weird. Out of the final corner, cold tyres sent him wide. Charles Leclerc pulled alongside, elbows up and they touched. George Russell assumed Verstappen was about to yield and launched a move of his own into Turn 1 where he then had contact with Verstappen. Some have argued afterwards that this move seemed purposeful from Verstappen; that he drove into Russell and caused the collision. The stewards handed Verstappen a 10-second penalty, which dropped him from fifth to tenth. When discussing the event afterwards, some said he should have been awarded a black and white flag for such a move. He was awarded three penalty points, which leaves him on 11, one away from a race ban.
Leclerc, meanwhile, played it safe and cashed in. He kept his head down, stayed out of the mess, and came away with third; not flashy, but efficient. When Verstappen made errors, Leclerc was there to mop up. Ferrari didn’t have the pace to fight McLaren, but they’re racking up podiums. Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, was stuck dealing with a slow pit stop and settled for seventh.
Further back, Nico Hulkenberg delivered a stunner. From P16 on the grid to P5 at the flag, his best finish in years and the best day Kick Sauber has had all season. It was fast, clean, and opportunistic without the flash that comes with some Formula One performances. Like the Hulkenberg of old.
The midfield turned into a street fight. Isack Hadjar grabbed more points for Racing Bulls. Pierre Gasly made no noise but still took eighth. Fernando Alonso finally got on the board, and Liam Lawson finished just outside the points in P11 after scrapping all afternoon. The potential is there, but the results haven’t come just yet.
Alex Albon’s race was a demolition derby; two front wings, a penalty, and eventual retirement. Kimi Antonelli didn’t fare better, with another power unit failure ending his run early. Ollie Bearman picked up a penalty, Yuki Tsunoda started from the pit lane, and Lance Stroll didn’t race due to injury. And if you’re keeping count, Williams is still nowhere.
Piastri now leads Norris in the standings. Verstappen is suddenly looking over his shoulder more than he’s looking ahead. And McLaren are fully in control of the Constructors’ Championship fight, calling the shots.
Next stop: Canada. Fast straights, brake zones that bite, and the kind of chaos that stirs up the whole title picture. Verstappen needs a bounce back while Ferrari needs to stay consistent. Right now, McLaren’s got the momentum and the points.
Written by Krystal.
Featured Image Credit: mclaren.com
About The Author
Leave a Reply