BARCELONA – Three-time world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday after a decisive early move and an “aggressive strategy” from Red Bull to deny McLaren’s pole-sitter Lando Norris and extend his lead in the world championship. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit as the Mercedes seven-time former champion returned to the podium for the first time since Mexico last season. The racing may be closer than the past two seasons but Verstappen always seems to pull it out of the bag when it matters most.
This was his 61st career win, seventh of the season, and fourth at the track where he first shot onto the F1 scene as a teenager in 2016. And it pushed him another step further to a fourth straight title with Austria and Silverstone coming up over the next two weekends. “I think what made the race was at the beginning I took the lead on lap two and that’s where I had my buffer,” said the 26-year-old.
“I think we did everything well, we drove an aggressive strategy but luckily it paid off until the end. Very happy to win here.” Fourth-placed George Russell in the other Mercedes enjoyed a stunning start.
With Verstappen to the left of Norris, and Russell to the right of him in the charge into the first turn at the end of the long straight, the pole-sitter came out the loser. As Norris grappled with Verstappen it was Russell, unsighted, who pulled out from fourth on the grid to take command. “I got a bad start.
