Whereas the reigning world champion suffered from a bout of crimson mist, F1’s new Iceman did not skip a beat to strengthen his championship lead. With that, our winners and losers from an eventful Spanish Grand Prix.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
McLaren as a complete might be known as a winner for extra than simply its 1-2 win. After all of the huff and puff some rivals (and media, in equity) had made about flexing wings and different trickery, the staff remains to be on high, on a circuit it had some questions marks about too. It appears rivals are beginning to run out of ammunition each on and off the observe to cease the papaya juggernaut.
However we’ll hand this week’s bouquet to Oscar Piastri. Whereas all hell broke unfastened behind him in a controversial podium scrap, Piastri merely had all the pieces below management as he collected his fifth win of the season. Quite a lot of the work was carried out in qualifying, with McLaren’s two drivers typically intently matched this weekend, however Piastri delivered a a lot cleaner lap when it mattered in Q3.
Having been handed by Max Verstappen initially, team-mate Lando Norris was the primary line of defence because the world champion tried to deploy a three-stop. In the meantime Piastri by no means appeared notably troubled, drove to the stint size and tempo Barcelona’s difficult tyre state of affairs required, and appeared to have sufficient pace in hand within the second stint to exhibit he did not have to point out his full hand. A late security automobile restart did not matter one bit.
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing
Photograph by: Steven Tee / LAT Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
It has been some time since we noticed crimson mist from Max Verstappen, however steam appeared to emanate from his lion themed helmet after his frustration within the race regularly constructed up; from a scarcity of grip, clutch points and lapped site visitors ‘idiots’ to Charles Leclerc’s glancing blow on the straight and finally his Flip 5 altercation with George Russell.
We won’t look inside Verstappen’s head to evaluate whether or not or not it being his nemesis Russell of all individuals who drove him off in Flip 1 made a distinction, however it’s by no means notably nice to see drivers intentionally work out their frustration on others whereas on the wheel. Verstappen was fortunate to get away with the penalty he obtained.
Within the larger image Verstappen has all the time been so good at maximising the potential of the automobile and he regarded heading in the right direction for one more very best end result behind the 2 McLarens till the security automobile uncovered his tyre drawback. Verstappen was going to lose a couple of positions no matter Crimson Bull’s pitstop choice, however this time his crimson mist value him much more than that, unnecessarily in order the stewards weren’t going to penalise him for going off the observe within the first place within the Flip 1 Russell scrap.
There could also be an even bigger concern at play with the racing guidelines themselves, which Verstappen could really feel are needlessly difficult. However this was fully avoidable.
Winner: Sauber
Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber
Photograph by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Sauber has lastly pocketed its first factors for the reason that season opening race in Melbourne. And this time the Swiss squad was good worth for its factors end, exhibiting its has made a sufficiently big step to combine it up with the others in a good midfield. Sure, there was some fortune concerned in Nico Hulkenberg ending fifth, as his Q1 elimination meant he had extra unused units of tyres left, which he was capable of deploy on the closing security automobile restart.
Even with out, its Hulkenberg was speedy in that upgraded Sauber, and passing Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari was simply the cherry on high. The overriding emotion is a mix of elation and reduction. No, the 2025 season does not should be a complete write-off. Sure, staff Hinwil has what it takes to struggle and ship a stable automobile improve to its automobiles.
Loser: Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Maybe Mercedes regarded higher than it had feared beforehand within the Catalan warmth, but it surely was one other tough weekend on tempo, lengthy wanting just like the fourth quickest staff in these scorching circumstances.
Russell was capable of salvage a really creditable fourth with an opportunistic transfer on a struggling Verstappen on the late restart, whereas team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli was nonetheless struggling to familiarize yourself with Mercedes’ tyre put on on a scorching and excessive downforce observe like this. That was till a suspected energy unit concern noticed him retire for the second time in three races.
There will likely be lots to unpack from this triple header as Mercedes assaults the remainder of the 2025 season.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Whereas team-mate Lance Stroll needed to sit out the race as a consequence of recurring points along with his proper hand, there was lastly some fortune for Fernando Alonso. Or ought to we are saying absence of misfortune, because the cartoon anvil that has chased the Spaniard round has lastly left his Aston Martin alone.
Alonso loved a little bit of a untimely victory lap in qualifying by offsetting his run to momentarily go faster than Verstappen in fifth, earlier than sliding right down to tenth. The wily Spaniard – and certainly the Barcelona occasion’s newly minted ambassador – is aware of learn how to play his dwelling crowd like a fiddle.
However Alonso overcame a visit to the gravel to attain factors in a automobile that was not as aggressive in race trim because it had been over one lap and lacked high pace, and subsequently did not actually deserve to complete within the high 10. The late security automobile helped Alonso to lastly get off the mark in 2025, however after the unhealthy luck he has had he was due some constructive karma.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Out of 365 begins, Lewis Hamilton labelled his 2025 Spanish Grand Prix the “worst I’ve ever skilled”. There’s doubtless some hyperbole right here within the warmth of the second, coming simply out of the automobile that had suffered a late, undisclosed concern – at the least in response to staff boss Fred Vasseur.
Nevertheless it was fairly telling the seven-time world champion needed to shortly let team-mate Charles Leclerc by — having began on the identical technique, no much less — and Hamilton suffered from a scarcity of grip and tempo all through the afternoon. If Hamilton was re-energised after a very good show in entrance of the tifosi in Imola, then that power has dissipated as soon as once more.
“The place do you go from right here?” one journalist tried after a terse and taciturn media scrum. “Residence,” got here the reply.
Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
It is beginning to get a bit predictable, such is Isack Hadjar’s spectacular consistency as a rookie. Contemporary from watching his beloved PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) win the UEFA Champions League, Hadjar did not put a foot flawed to stay the most effective of the remaining on tempo, getting his elbows out in a good midfield struggle that he was wanting like successful.
Hadjar had no reply for Hulkenberg’s contemporary gentle tyres on the late security automobile restart, however he might be extraordinarily happy popping out of a busy triple-header whereas ninth within the drivers’ standings. Realizing Hadjar, he will not be. He’ll need extra. Even Racing Bulls’ personal staff chiefs admitted they’ve been stunned by how shortly he has tailored.
Loser: Williams
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Group, Alexander Albon, Williams
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures by way of Getty Pictures
Very similar to fellow PSG fanatic Pierre Gasly would have warranted a winner’s medal, it was a little bit of a tie between two different midfield outfits for the final spot. Haas has been blowing cold and hot once more after a tough to dissect race for the staff, whereas Williams has been a lot improved in 2025 solely to fall flat in Carlos Sainz’s dwelling race.
Williams launched a entrance wing improve to coincide with the brand new technical directive on flexing, however that proved however a band support for the grove squad’s lengthy standing weak spot in Barcelona, partly due to the circuit’s many lengthy corners.
“The second you place mixed forces on this automobile, the downforce falls away from the automobile,” Sainz stated after qualifying. Each he and Alex Albon had additionally been unfortunate as they suffered entrance wing harm from early, so possibly it’s simply as properly that contact occurred at their weakest observe. Sainz slumped dwelling to 14th whereas Albon retired shortly. On to Canada, which needs to be a significantly better circuit for Williams.
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