{"id":13634,"date":"2024-06-23T16:24:35","date_gmt":"2024-06-23T16:24:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/?p=13634"},"modified":"2024-06-23T16:24:35","modified_gmt":"2024-06-23T16:24:35","slug":"spanish-gp-max-verstappen-wins-an-intriguing-race-two-seconds-ahead-of-lando-norris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.f1vault.co.uk\/index\/spanish-gp-max-verstappen-wins-an-intriguing-race-two-seconds-ahead-of-lando-norris\/","title":{"rendered":"SPANISH GP \u2013 Max Verstappen wins an intriguing race two seconds ahead of Lando Norris"},"content":{"rendered":"

Max Verstappen has won the Spanish Grand Prix beating Lando Norris by two seconds after another intriguing battle for the victory. The three-time champion fended off Norris after getting into the lead after clearing Norris and Lewis Hamilton early on going into the lead.<\/p>\n

However, the Red Bull driver couldn\u2019t pull away in the three-stop race but was able to cover off Norris and Hamilton through his strategy. While Verstappen looked not to be able just to sail off into the distance which means there could now be a genuine fight at every race this season as there was no clear advantage for Red Bull.<\/p>\n

The big story from the race is clear, caution had been the game for Red Bull\u2019s rivals as they feared the closing up since Melbourne would disappear, it hasn\u2019t while Verstappen makes a huge difference and will still be hard to beat, Red Bull can no longer take the pace advantage. With the reset in aero testing taking effect the day after next weekend’s race in Spielberg.<\/p>\n

But it was the Mercedes of George Russell who had the best start after leaping from fourth into the lead, however he was unable to maintain that lead. Verstappen stayed not too far behind and aided by DRS soon was able to regain the lead and retain the lead through the pit stop phases, despite the gap not stabilising.<\/p>\n

The deciding moment of the race came early on when you look at the way strategy played out, after Verstappen swept past Norris on lap three along with Russell. That cost Norris just over two seconds which stuck with him throughout the race he was unable to get any closer.<\/p>\n

Although he dropped behind his fast-starting team-mate at the start, Hamilton overtook Russell after the second stops with an eye-catching around-the-outside move on the sister Mercedes into Turn One. Russell appearing to struggle on the second set of mediums forcing him into an early second stop.<\/p>\n

Norris in the closing stages looked to be closing once again but ultimately ran out of laps and finished second. Hamilton couldn\u2019t join the fight as the step forwards in practice on race pace failed to translate as he finished fifteen seconds behind Norris to take his first Grand Prix podium of 2024. Russell eventually dropped behind his teammate and finished five seconds behind.<\/p>\n

It’s often remarked in F1 that a race can only be lost – and not won – at the start and that is effectively how it transpired for Norris. Having produced a lap which he described as the best of his career to secure just the second pole position of his career in qualifying, the Englishman’s hard-won starting advantage was wiped out within seconds of the start lights going out.<\/p>\n

Verstappen said \u201cI think what made the race was the beginning. I took the lead and then had a buffer in that first stint and could eke out a gap. After that we had to drive defensively. Lando and McLaren were very quick. I think we did everything well. I am very happy to win here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Norris added, \u201cI should have won. I got a bad start. As simple as that. The car was incredible today. We were for sure the quickest. I just lost it at the beginning. Disappointed but a lot of positives. One negative and that kind of ruined everything. I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamilton added \u201cIt has been a good day, a solid weekend. I have to say a big thank you to the team as they have been training so hard. The strategy and the pitstops were really on point. Unfortunately, I got a really bad start and lost ground to the Ferraris so it was a battle to get back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Russell finished the race nearly four-tenths ahead of Charles Leclerc, whose teammate Carlos Sainz was nine-tenths further behind. Ferrari appeared not to feature in the fight at the front as they failed to make progress from where they started the race. On what has been an underwhelming weekend.<\/p>\n

Oscar Piastri brought his McLaren home seventh gaining four places as he finished nearly half a minute ahead of Sergio Perez. Perez fought his way to eighth where he qualified, but he had dropped to eleventh thanks to a penalty for an unsafe release in Montreal.<\/p>\n

It was a strong weekend for Alpine with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon both completing the top ten, Gasly was two and a half seconds ahead of his teammate. Nico Hulkenberg was the last car on the lead lap and missed out on the points by eight seconds. The Haas driver recovered to retain the position following a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.<\/p>\n

Fernando Alonso was led the lapped cars in eleventh as he finished five seconds ahead of Guanyu Zhou the Sauber splitting the Aston Martin\u2019s with Lance Stoll nine seconds behind. RB had brought upgrades to this race, but they have been scratching their heads as it hasn\u2019t delivered a step forwards in performance. Daniel Ricciardo fifteenth ahead of Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen, Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda and Logan Sargeant.<\/p>\n

It was a rare race in Barcelona where there were no yellow flags, virtual or real safety cars and retirements from the race. Which even in the modern era is uncommon given the high demands it places on tyres and brakes.<\/p>\n

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