F1 Spanish Grand Prix: Verstappen Holds off Norris at Barcelona; Hamilton Returns to Podium

Max Verstappen clinched his 61st F1 victory by fending off a fast Lando Norris, with McLaren showing strong pace but ultimately outclassed by Red Bull and the Dutch driver.

By Divyam Dubey

23 Jun, 2024

3 min read

Verstappen continued his dominance in Spain, entering the record books with a remarkable three consecutive Spanish Grand Prix victories. Lando Norris, who qualified and secured pole position, saw his second race win dreams go up in smoke with a slow start. Despite a valiant effort, Norris crossed the finish line in second place, a disappointing 2.2 seconds behind the relentless Verstappen. This race was a turning point for Lewis Hamilton who, after a dry spell, secured his first podium finish of the season for Mercedes. Hamilton's teammate, George Russell, continued to impress, following closely behind in fourth place. A bright and sunny afternoon provided the perfect setting for this thrilling contest at the iconic Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

Also Read: F1: Alpine Announces Flavio Briatore's Return as Executive Advisor

F1 Spanish Grand Prix: Race Result

Max Verstappen claimed victory at the Spanish Grand Prix with smart tyre management, securing his third consecutive win in Barcelona and solidifying his championship lead. While other drivers changed tyres frequently, Verstappen saved a fresh set of soft tyres for the final stint, giving him the edge.

F1 Ferrari

Ferrari struggled, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finishing fifth and sixth. Alpine had a solid day, with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon finishing ninth and tenth.

Red Bull's Sergio Perez, starting with a penalty from the previous race, fought back to take eighth place. Haas' Nico Hulkenberg finished eleventh, and Fernando Alonso ended up twelfth.

Pos	Driver	Team	Time
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	66 Laps
2	Lando Norris	McLaren	+2.219s
3	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	+17.790s
4	George Russell	Mercedes	+22.320s
5	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	+22.709s
6	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	+31.028s
7	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	+33.760s
8	Sergio Perez	Red Bull	+59.524s
9	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	+62.025s
10	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	+71.889s
11	Nico Hulkenberg	Haas	+79.215s
12	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	+1 Lap
13	Zhou Guanyu	Sauber	+1 Lap
14	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	+1 Lap
15	Daniel Ricciardo	VCARB	+1 Lap
16	Valtteri Bottas	Sauber	+1 Lap
17	Kevin Magnussen	Haas	+1 Lap
18	Alex Albon	Williams	+1 Lap
19	Yuki Tsunoda	VCARB	+1 Lap
20	Logan Sargeant	Williams	+2 Laps

Also Read: F1: Adrian Newey Reportedly Tours Aston Martin's Silverstone Factory Amid Ongoing Negotiations

VCARB's Daniel Ricciardo had a tough race, finishing fifteenth, with recent upgrades causing more problems. Yuki Tsunoda finished nineteenth, and Williams' rookie Logan Sargeant was twentieth.

Verstappen celebrated his dominant performance, while Lando Norris regretted his sluggish start, which cost him a chance at victory.