MONTMELO, Spain Max Verstappen doesn’t need a dominant car to stay on course for a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title.
The Dutchman proved this on Sunday when he put in a perfectly executed performance to fend off Lando Norris and win the Spanish Grand Prix.
“We should have won today,” Norris said. “We had the fastest car.”
Norris’s Mercedes and McLaren had closed the gap to Verstappen’s Red Bull in the last few races, and Norris was gunning for a win after overtaking Verstappen in qualifying for take pole position.
But the three-time champion overtook Norris right on the starting grid, overtook leader George Russell’s Mercedes and never looked back.
Verstappen managed to muster enough pace in the final laps to cross first, while Norris had to settle for second place.
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes was third. It was the first podium of 2024 for the seven-time world champion, who is in his final season before joining Ferrari next season.
Verstappen said his moves to overtake Norris and Russell so early were crucial in enabling him to build a lead and keep Norris in check.
“What made the race was the start, taking the lead on the second lap and closing the gap a little,” said Verstappen. “Lando and McLaren were very, very quick today. We followed an aggressive strategy, but in the end it worked.”
Verstappen took his seventh victory in 10 races this season and his third consecutive victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. It was also win No. 61 of his career.
Verstappen has 219 points. Norris moved into second place with 150, overtaking Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, and has 148 points after finishing the race in fifth.
Norris blamed his poor start – when he lost two places – for having to settle for second place. The British driver managed his first victory in Miami in May and aimed for a second victory. Norris lamented what he considered yet another missed opportunity after he too joined second behind Verstappen in the Canadian GP last round.
“I easily had the best car there,” said Norris. “I just didn’t do enough work offline. This thing cost me everything.”
Norris was beaten to the start line by Verstappen and Russell, who got around both rivals from his start in fourth place to take a surprise lead after the nearly 600-metre (yard) run to the first corner.
Verstappen was just behind Russell, however, and soon passed him shortly after his team told him “(this) could be our best opportunity right now”.
Once ahead, Verstappen managed his tires on the difficult Barcelona track, and his Red Bull team made two clean pit stops to avoid costly mistakes.
Norris showed his great form as he chased down the two Mercedes after a tire change. He overtook Hamilton and then had a long duel with Russell midway through the race. Norris swerved, Russell counterattacked to advance, before Norris finally got ahead.
The fair also favored Verstappen, with the seconds added to his advantage proving crucial later on.
Norris increased his speed in the last 10 laps and got closer to the Dutchman, but he ran out of time and no track. He crossed two seconds behind Verstappen.
Verstappen said he expects closer racing ahead, with the Austrian and British Grands Prix taking place on consecutive weekends.
“We’re struggling a little bit to maintain that pace and we didn’t have the best tire life today compared to the Lando,” he said. “I can’t say we did anything wrong in the race, but we just need to try to find more performance.”
Russell finished fourth while it was a bad day for Leclerc and Carlos Sainz as no Ferrari could compete with the frontrunners. Sainz, the Spanish fans’ biggest hope of victory, finished sixth after being overtaken twice by Hamilton.
Norris’ McLaren partner Oscar Piastri was seventh. Sergio Pérez, in the other Red Bull, was eighth after starting from 11th place, following a third place grid penalty suffered in the last round of the Canadian GP. The Alpine duo Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon completed the top 10. Fernando Alonso was 12th in his Aston Martin.
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