Janice R. Andrews
Spain’s MontmelÓ (AP) — Max Verstappen demonstrated his driving skills once more, demonstrating that he can continue on his path to a fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship even without the most dominating chassis. At the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, Verstappen produced a faultless effort to defeat Lando Norris’s determined push and win.
“We ought to have prevailed today,” Norris said after the race. “We had the quickest car.”
Mercedes and McLaren have both made progress in reducing the performance difference with Verstappen’s Red Bull in recent races. Norris was especially eager to turn his advantage into a race victory because he had just lost to Verstappen in qualifying for pole position.
But the three-time winner didn’t take long to establish his supremacy. Right off the starting line, Verstappen bullied by Norris and quickly passed the Mercedes of early leader George Russell, establishing his dominance of the race.
For Verstappen, who stressed the significance of his tactical movements early in the race, the turning point arrived early. “What made the race was the beginning, taking the lead on Lap 2 and eking out the gap a little bit,” Verstappen said. “Today, Lando and McLaren demonstrated incredible speed. Although we pursued an aggressive approach, it ultimately paid off.”
With this victory, Verstappen has won seven races in a row this season, including three straight at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalonia. With 219 points in the 2024 season, this triumph solidifies his domination and raises his career total to 61 victories.
Having to settle for second place, Lando Norris now has 150 points, one spot ahead of Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who finished fifth and has 148 points in the championship standings.
In retrospect, Norris saw his subpar performance early on as the main cause of his defeat. “I had the best car there, hands down,” said Norris. “I just didn’t work offline enough. I lost everything because of just one item.
Russell got off to an explosive start in the race, taking the lead early on after starting from fourth position. However, Verstappen moved by him with remarkable speed, taking the lead shortly after his crew suggested that “this might be our best opportunity right now.”
Two excellent pit stops by Verstappen’s Red Bull crew were essential to keeping him ahead on the challenging Barcelona circuit. After a tire change, Norris, showing excellent form, passed both Mercedes drivers. A thrilling duel between him and Russell midway through the race saw Norris come out on top following a series of shrewd moves.
Verstappen gained from the dramatic jousting between Norris and Russell, as he used the extra seconds to increase his advantage. Even with a strong drive in the last ten circuits, Norris was unable to completely close the distance and finished two seconds behind Verstappen.
Verstappen expects the Austrian and British Grand Prix to be more closely contested races in the coming weeks. “We are struggling a little bit for that outright pace, and we didn’t have the best tire life today compared to Lando,” he said. “I can’t really say that we did something wrong in the race, but we just need to try and find more performance.”
Russell finished in fourth place at the end of the race, as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari struggled to stay up with the leaders. Local favorite Sainz finished sixth in the race after being passed twice by Lewis Hamilton.
In his final season with Mercedes before his expected departure to Ferrari the following season, Hamilton, who finished third, celebrated his first podium finish of the 2024 season. Oscar Piastri, Norris’s McLaren teammate, finished in seventh position. Due to a grid penalty from the previous race, Sergio Pérez, driving the second Red Bull, started from 11th and finished in eighth place. Pedro Gasly and Esteban Ocon, both Alpine drivers, completed the top 10, with Fernando Alonso placing 12th in his Aston Martin.
With this triumph, Verstappen extends his lead in the championship while displaying his unmatched racing prowess and tactical understanding. Fans can anticipate more exhilarating races and intense performances on the F1 track as the season goes on.
