“At the absolute limit”: Verstappen won in Barcelona ahead of Norris

The Dutch Red Bull star triumphed safely in Barcelona on Sunday, ahead of pole-setter Lando Norris in the McLaren and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. For Verstappen, it was the third Spanish victory in a row and the 61st of his career. Sergio Perez had to settle for eighth place in the second Red Bull.

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Verstappen, on the other hand, took another big step on the way to his fourth world championship title. The 26-year-old was visibly relieved after the hard day’s work. “We weren’t the fastest today, but we did everything well,” he radioed his team. In the end, it was a defensive race against Norris, Verstappen added in the winner’s interview. “At the end, I had to defend against Lando and McLaren, they were very fast.” Verstappen received praise from Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. “I would rate Max’s performance as confident. 66 laps at the absolute limit,” said the 80-year-old Styrian on ORF.

“I messed up the start”

Norris, on the other hand, has to wait for his second GP victory in the premier class, even if it was close at the end and more would have been possible. “I should have won, but I messed up the start,” said the 24-year-old disappointed. The McLaren was great again and probably the fastest car. “It’s disappointing. Lots of positives and one negative point, and that somehow ruined everything,” said Norris dejectedly.

George Russell missed the podium in the second “Silver Arrow” after a lightning start including leading laps, finishing fourth. “I opted for the hard tires, but that wasn’t the right decision,” said Russell, who had to let his teammate Hamilton, who was on the soft tires, pass him at the end. The Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz did not manage to get beyond fifth and sixth place. In the World Championship, Verstappen extended his lead over Norris, who secured the fastest lap and overtook Leclerc, to 69 points. The Formula 1 circus now travels to Styria, where a sprint weekend is scheduled at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg.

Forecast rain did not materialize

After the spectacular rain race in Canada two weeks ago, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya remained dry on Sunday, contrary to some forecasts. Norris had secured pole position the day before, unfazed by a fire in the team’s motorhome. However, the McLaren driver botched his start in the 1,111th Grand Prix in Formula 1 history. Verstappen squeezed past Norris on the inside, Russell got off to a rocket start from fourth place and overtook the two favorites in the first corner, thanks in part to the slipstream on the outside.

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But it only took until the third lap for Verstappen to take the lead from Russell. The Mercedes driver could only keep up with the triple world champion’s pace for a short time and held up Norris, Hamilton and the two Ferraris behind him. Before the first pit stops, Verstappen already had a cushion of more than four seconds, and the Red Bull pit crew finished off the world championship leader in a brisk 1.9 seconds. Norris opted for a much later pit stop and found himself in fifth place.

Verstappen already nine seconds ahead after 35 laps

In the 35th of 66 laps, Norris regained the role of Verstappen’s first pursuer in a thrilling duel against Russell, at which point Verstappen had already pulled ahead by more than nine seconds. With an early second pit stop, Russell and Sainz tried to bring some excitement to the battle for the podium places. Verstappen also switched to the softest tire compound again, while Norris waited a little longer. “I’m not sure, it depends on whether we want to be first or third,” the Miami winner discussed his strategy on the pit radio.

Norris opted for second place, coming out of the pit lane just ahead of Russell 19 laps before the end. “Lando doesn’t go easy on his tires,” Verstappen was told, and the lead melted away to two seconds in the final phase. But the race win was never really in danger for the Austrian racing team.