Montmelo, Spain (AP) – McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris tackled a straightforward question from this Formula 1 season: Which one of them would emerge victorious after finishing first and second in the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday.
This feeling of supremacy was bolstered by Max Verstappen’s late-race misfortune with his Red Bull team. Verstappen held a steady grip until a slow safety car prompted tire degradation, causing him to fall behind both Charles Leclerc and George Russell, adding more woes after Russell’s incident with Mercedes.
Verstappen’s 10-second penalty resulted in a discouraging 10th place finish in Spain.
It quickly became apparent what lay ahead.
Russell labeled the maneuver “intentional” and criticized Verstappen for setting a poor precedent.
Verstappen retorted, “Next time, I’ll bring the organization.”
Piastri, starting from pole position, clinched the win, marking his third consecutive victory in Barcelona, a venue where Verstappen previously triumphed three times in a row. Piastri now has 186 points, a 10-point lead over Norris, while Verstappen languishes at 49 points behind the leaders.
Does the title race still have a long way to go?
Verstappen seems to be focusing on 2026 when the F1 regulations will be revamped.
“I never claimed I was in the championship hunt,” Verstappen stated. “Firstly, every race has been challenging so far. When they get their act together, they’re unbeatable. That’s obvious this season.”
Piastri’s groundbreaking campaign
As Verstappen faces challenges, Piastri continues to thrive in his remarkable season as the 24-year-old Australian manages the pressures of being a top contender.
“It’s been a fantastic year; this weekend felt like the one I was striving for,” Piastri commented. “Racing has been a lot of fun right now.”
This marks the third win for McLaren this season, with the team claiming seven victories in nine races, where Piastri has contributed five of those wins.
It’s the first occasion in a decade that a driver other than Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton has won in the vicinity of Barcelona. The future looks uncertain with a race in Madrid scheduled for next year.
Norris recovers from a poor start
Last year in Spain, Norris started on pole only to allow Verstappen to overtake him for the win. This time around, Verstappen edged past Norris after just one turn.
However, Norris needed 12 laps to catch up to Verstappen, who was struggling with grip. Norris used a boost on the straight to reclaim the lead.
“Oscar drove brilliantly today. (i) we didn’t have enough pace to match him, but we gave it our best shot,” Norris said, finishing second.
Leclerc took third, enhancing his position over his new Ferrari teammate Hamilton.
Another tough outing for Hamilton
Hamilton faced yet another difficult race, being instructed to let Leclerc pass early on, then getting overtaken by Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg on the final lap.
The seven-time world champion has not reached the podium at any Grand Prix since departing from Mercedes to join the Italian team.
Hamilton expressed his disappointment with his car’s unbalanced performance.
“This was the worst I’ve experienced in terms of balance,” he told reporters.
Impressive drive by Hulkenberg
Hulkenberg earned the “Drive of the Day” accolade, rising from a 15th-place start, just ahead of Hamilton, to achieve a season-high fifth place finish.
“Seeing Hulkenberg finish fifth is incredibly impressive for him,” Piastri remarked.
Rookie Isac Hajar secured seventh in the Racing Bulls, followed by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Fernando Alonso finally delighted home fans with his ninth-place finish for Aston Martin. Meanwhile, Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll had to withdraw due to hand and wrist pain.
Yuki Tsunoda, Verstappen’s teammate, experienced a disappointing qualifying session, finishing 13th for Red Bull.
Kimi Antonelli appeared to be in trouble when his Mercedes ended up in the gravel, leading to a late yellow flag and a safety car.
The race also attracted several football celebrities, including English team members like Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, and Bukayo Saka, who toured the paddock shortly after arriving in Barcelona for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra next weekend.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Brazilian football legend Roberto Carlos were also in attendance, alongside Barcelona players Ferran Torres and Eric Garcia. Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski was present in the Red Bull garage on Saturday for qualifying.
Next up is the Canadian Grand Prix in two weeks.
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Source: apnews.com