Max Verstappen beats Lando Norris to win Spanish Grand Prix
- Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix for the third year in a row
- Lando Norris started on pole but finished 2.219 seconds behind Verstappen
- Lewis Hamilton came third, ahead of team-mate George Russell in fourth
Lando Norris made a bad start that cost him possible victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, which was won by Max Verstappen.
The world champion’s victory was outstanding as he held off the British charge led by Norris – and nothing the chasing pack tried by way of strategic ingenuity could prevent it from then onwards.
By the end Norris was 2.2 seconds adrift, Lewis Hamilton, third to take his first podium of the season, and George Russell, fourth and the final of the would-be men but for the genius wringing every possibility out of his spectacular Red Bull.
‘We should have won, said Norris. ‘I f***ed up the start. We deserved more. The car was fantastic.’
Yes, he was early on the brakes, and went from first to third.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona on Sunday afternoon
Reigning world champion Verstappen has now won seven of the first 10 Grand Prix of 2024
Verstappen fended off the challenge of Lando Norris (right) with Lewis Hamilton (left) in third
Fans gathered on track to watch the podium ceremony after Verstappen’s brilliant victory
As for Verstappen’s brilliance, we note again that the Dutch star’s team-mate, Sergio Perez, finished eighth. The Mexican is trying to rebuild his confidence, whereas Verstappen’s self-belief is bullet-proofed by his third year of total mastery.
His championship lead stands at 69 points over new second-place man Norris, with his third win from the last four races. But this is still a great deal more competitive than last year and Red Bull’s feet are closer to the fire. McLaren, in particular, are getting close.
As for second-placed Norris, would he have been better served by his McLaren strategists if he had twice attempted the under-cut rather than being kept out six and three laps longer on his respective pit stops?
The idea was that he would be on fresher rubber and able to mount a late assault. It didn’t really work – he went from 4.5 seconds back at the first attempt to 11; then from four to eight. But, it seemed, Verstappen was in command, nursing his rubber while Norris had no choice but to push his to the limit in a gung-ho attempt to catch the uncatchable.
No boffin’s manipulations could have altered the course of events. However, McLaren’s men delegated the choice of whether to cover Russell rather than play it (supposedly) harder and chase the win by risking different. He told them: ‘We need to go after Max.’ But why was Lando asked when he could hardly evaluate the state of the race as well as them.
It was a dull race in a way because the Norris threat was illusory.
Verstappen crossed the finish line 2.219 seconds ahead of his nearest rival in Barcelona
That rival was McLaren driver Norris – who had dropped from pole position to third at the first corner
George Russell (right) went from fourth to first by the first corner, but the Mercedes driver ultimately dropped back to fourth by the end of the race
Charles Leclerc (right) beat Carlos Sainz to fifth after they squabbled at the start of the race
The Ferrari drivers were seen deep in conversation after the race had come to a finish
As for Hamilton and Russell, a slight difference in strategy at Mercedes too. Russell was brought in for his second stop seven laps later than Hamilton to be shod on hard tyres. It did Russell no favours. He was passed by Hamilton with 14 laps remaining.
It was hard, so to speak, on Russell because he had provided the most dazzling moment of the race, his gunslinger’s shot at the start an unexpected bang. Norris, on pole, was occupied with holding off Verstappen, starting second. Indeed, he pushed the world champion off the track – a puff of sand.
Russell saw his moment on the outside of Turn One and ripped his way in front via that opportunity. It was not to last. At the first DRS moment, on lap three, Verstappen passed the Englishman, outside then inside.
Game over, really, and most of the scraps were for the other places.
One highlight: Norris and Russell wheel-to-wheel on lap 35. The McLaren man, chasing second, pressed at Turn One and squeezed ahead, but the Mercedes came back at him, Russell moving ahead at Turn Three. Norris finally nailed it at Turn Seven. Not a fag paper between their rubber, but all clean and fair.
A good day for Hamilton after his recent travails.
