Piastri wins in Spain and extends his lead in the championship

The 2025 Spanish Grand Prix was defined by McLaren's supremacy and the controversy starring Max Verstappen, who saw his aspirations cut short after receiving a 10-second penalty that relegated him to the final tenth position.

Piastri in control from the start

Oscar Piastri executed a perfect start from pole position at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, maintaining the lead while Max Verstappen took the opportunity to overtake Lando Norris at the first corner. The Dutchman managed to position himself second, relegating the British driver to third place in the opening meters of the race.

The initial battle between the top teams intensified quickly. Lewis Hamilton managed to overtake George Russell, while Charles Leclerc executed an effective move on the Mercedes driver to claim fourth position. This sequence of overtakes defined the initial order that would remain during the first laps.

Photo By Red Bull Content Pool

Diverging strategies

The race dynamics changed when Norris regained second position by overtaking Verstappen on lap 13. The Red Bull driver, facing grip issues with his car, opted for an early pit stop seeking the undercut benefit with fresh tires.

This strategic decision proved temporary, as after both McLaren drivers pitted between laps 22 and 23, Verstappen gained the net lead, though with a considerable disadvantage in tire life.

The frustrations of the four-time world champion became evident through team radio, reporting lack of grip and clutch problems. These issues forced him to change his initial two-stop strategy to a three-stop one, losing positions again to the McLarens.

Safety Car

The race neutralization came when Kimi Antonelli suffered a mechanical failure in his Mercedes, forcing the deployment of the Safety Car. This situation triggered a new round of pit stops, with most front runners opting to change tires again.

Red Bull decided to fit hard tires on Verstappen, the only option available in their arsenal, while other competitors mounted softer compounds. This choice severely compromised the Dutch driver's chances in the final laps.

Controversial incident

The restart on lap 62 proved chaotic for Verstappen, who lost traction at the final corner and allowed Leclerc to pass him. The situation worsened when Russell attempted an inside move at turn 1, forcing Verstappen to use the escape road.

What followed was a sequence of controversial events. Verstappen initially seemed to give the position back to Russell at turn 4, but later deliberately pushed the Mercedes off track. The stewards investigated the incident and imposed a 10-second penalty on the Red Bull driver.

McLaren consolidates its dominance

While the controversy unfolded further back, Piastri maintained impeccable pace at the front, controlling the gap to Norris and securing his fifth victory of the season. The Australian crossed the finish line with a 2.471-second advantage over his teammate.

This result strengthens Piastri's position in the drivers' championship, extending his lead to 10 points over Norris. The Woking-based team also consolidates its lead in the constructors' championship with this new 1-2 finish.

Photo By Red Bull Content Pool

Rest of the field

Charles Leclerc completed the podium for Ferrari in third place, while George Russell finished fourth despite the incidents with Verstappen. Nico Hulkenberg delivered an outstanding performance to finish fifth with Kick Sauber, climbing from fifteenth on the grid.

Lewis Hamilton took sixth place with Ferrari, followed by Isack Hadjar in seventh for Racing Bulls. Pierre Gasly scored points for Alpine in eighth, while Fernando Alonso finally opened his points account this season by finishing ninth in his home race.

The penalty relegated Verstappen to tenth position, while Liam Lawson missed out on points in eleventh. The race also saw retirements for Kimi Antonelli due to mechanical issues and Alex Albon after suffering front wing damage from contact with Lawson.