Oscar Piastri won the Spanish Grand Prix to establish a bigger lead in the Formula 1 World Championship, amid a late Safety Car which saw Max Verstappen penalised for a clash with George Russell.
The McLarens managed to resist the challenge of Verstappen, who looked set to finish third, but after falling behind Charles Leclerc upon the Safety Car’s re-entry, appeared to deliberately turn in on Russell, earning him a 10-second time penalty.
At the start, Piastri got away cleanly, but Norris once again was hesitant, allowing Verstappen to sweep around the outside into Turn 1, as Hamilton took Russell for fourth and Leclerc nabbing sixth from Antonelli, and then also took Russell.
Hulkenberg got off to a flier, too, and on Lap 2, went around the outside of Alonso at Turn 3 to take 10th.
At the start of Lap 3, Piastri came under pressure from Verstappen, who had a faint look into Turn 1, as both of them opened up a two-second gap on Norris already.
Piastri moved out of DRS range, opening a 1.5s lead on Verstappen on Lap 4, as Hadjar began to pile the pressure on Gasly in eighth place.
By Lap 6, Leclerc was right on Hamilton’s tail but was covered off by his team-mate into Turn 1 at the start of Lap 7, as Albon pitted for a new front wing, having sustained damage in a congested midfield at the start.
Norris was now slowly beginning to take nibbles into Verstappen ahead of him, being encouraged by his engineers, his tyres now up to temperature.
Leclerc had another look at Hamilton’s place, this time with a bit more intent, looking fully up the inside, but once again he was covered off.
A lap later, he would finally make the move stick, Hamilton seeming to leave plenty of room for Leclerc to take fourth, as Piastri’s lead was now four seconds on Verstappen.
The Red Bull had lost the McLaren up ahead, and now had a mirror-full the other behind him, as Norris was now around half-a-second behind.
Norris takes Verstappen for second as Hulkenberg makes gains
Hulkenberg and Gasly dropped out of the points as they both pitted for Medium tyres, as Norris started to now make a serious look at Verstappen.
Piastri began to complain or rear grip issues, as Norris took Verstappen for second on the start of Lap 13.
The Dutchman pitted at the end of the lap, rejoining in eighth between the Racing Bulls on Softs, as Alonso, who had dropped to 12th after taking to the gravel at Turn 5 a lap earlier, took 11th back off of Esteban Ocon.
Hamilton pitted on Lap 16, rejoining ninth and on Mediums. Verstappen took Hadjar and Antonelli in the space of two laps to move up to fifth, as Leclerc was the next to come in for fresh rubber, rejoining on Lap 18 on a set of Mediums, the first of two available.
Russell, now up to third by default, was starting to lag under the degradation of his Softs, and was easy prey for Verstappen, taking him on the inside at Turn 7 om Lap 20.
On Lap 21, Piastri was asked by the team how many more laps he would withstand on his Softs, and if another four were possible, the Australian replying that it might be tough.
It would be Norris that pitted first out of the McLarens, coming in at the end of the very same lap, rejoining in third ahead of Hamilton, on Mediums.
McLaren’s ask was too much of Piastri, as he would come in just one lap later, leaving Verstappen to take the lead, rejoining on Mediums, four seconds ahead of his team-mate.
Further back, Antonelli was gaining rapidly on Gasly, and took seventh from him at the start of Lap 24.
Hulkenberg, with the order now all shaken out after pitstops, was in ninth, ahead of Hadjar and Bearman, with Tsunoda now up to 12th.
Just outside of the points, Liam Lawson and Alex Albon were engaged in a fierce battle for 12th, with the Williams driver accusing the Kiwi of pushing him off the road in the middle sector.
A Turn 1 on Lap 26, Albon tried again, and ran out of room, sustaining front wing damage upon touching the Racing Bull’s right rear. Albon would be forced to retire the car.
Verstappen was five seconds ahead of Piastri on Lap 27, with Hadjar raising his stock by performing a brave overtake on Gasly for eighth at the outside of Turn 4.
The Frenchman was now in Hulkenberg’s clutches, the German taking ninth.
Verstappen was complaining of being barely able to drive his car now, as was duly brought in on Lap 29, rejoining fourth behind Leclerc and into Hamilton’s view.
He would soon lose Verstappen’s tail though as he complained of no rear grip on his Ferrari, as the race approached half-distance.
Verstappen was starting to set a string of fastest laps, with Lawson looking to find his way into the points, making contact with Bearman at Turn 1, but the pair no shedding any debris.
The Red Bull’s current pace was deceptive as Verstappen started to complain of clutch issues, but was told it was “all to play for”.
‘All to play for’ as Verstappen opts for three-stop strategy
The Saubers continued to look impressive, with Bortoleto taking Carlos Sainz around on the outside at Turn 1 for 13th, as Hulkenberg opened up a 10 second buffer to Bearman.
As Norris complained of graining on his second set of tyres, Verstappen breezed past Leclerc for third at the strat of Lap 36.
The Monegasque was now 10 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who was only two seconds ahead of Russell.
On a second set of Softs, Tsunoda was now 13th, racing Ocon but also just two seconds behind Bortoleto.
With now 25 laps remaining, Verstappen was within five seconds of Norris, as Leclerc pitted from fourth, rejoining sixth on his second set of Mediums.
Hulkenberg made his second stop on Lap 46, having completed an admirable stint, rejoining behind his team-mate but still in the points, and would resume ninth when the Brazilian was ordered to swap the places back.
Hamilton would be in again a lap later, taking on Softs and rejoining seventh behind Antonelli and just ahead of Hadjar.
Verstappen made his third stop on Lap 48, rejoining behind his already-lapped team-mate, who quickly let him through amid his own battle with Ocon.
McLaren responded by pitting Norris, who came out on Softs and just a second ahead of Verstappen, as Pastri, 27 seconds ahead, came in for his second stop.
With 16 laps now to go, the Australian was back out 3.5s ahead, with Norris now set to try and fend Verstappen off, who set the fastest lap of the race.
It spiced up even more once traffic was encountered, with Bearman and Lawson in their of ferocious battle for 11th, the Haas taking to the run-off area at Turn 2, as Norris and Verstappen both threaded their way through, the Dutchman calling them “f***ing idiots”.
The pair resumed their midfield battle but Alonso, buoyed on by home support, took Bearman and set off in pursuit of the Racing Bulls’ 11th spot.
With Norris now 2.5s ahead of Verstappen and Piastri enjoying a 3.5s lead, it looked as if the final 10 laps would be mundane.
Antonelli’s Mercedes engine gave up, and the Italian pulling off at Turn 10, but given he could only make it to the gravel trap, the Safety Car was now out.
Late Safety Car creates chaos
The McLarens double-stacked, with Verstappen quickly following in behind them, the order unchanged. However, Verstappen was put on Hards, and when protesting the decision, was told it was the “only option.”
The Ferraris also double-stacked, with Russell between them in fifth place. Tsunoda, now in 15th, had an opportunity to look at a points place, particularly as he was already closing in on the gaggle of cars jostling for position ahead of him.
With Piastri bunching up the pack, racing resumed, and immediately held his lead, with Verstappen getting a big snap on the exit of the final corner, leaving him vulnerable.
Leclerc took him for third into Turn 1, and then Russell also had a go, but failed, as Verstappen took to the run-off to avoid contact, complaining that Leclerc moved into him.
Piastri opened up a 1.2s lead on Norris, with Leclerc already three seconds further back, with Russell in DRS range of Verstappen.
Hulkenberg was also in DRS range of Hamilton, the German sniffing a potential sixth place. Verstappen reaffirmed that Leclerc needed to give the position back, as the stewards began to investigate.
Ordered to let Russell through, a furious Verstappen began to slow and let Russell through around the outside of Turn 5, but sped back up enough to get next to him, and turned into the Mercedes.
An incredulous Russell was let through at Turn 12, as the stewards would now have to take a look at this incident also.
Hulkenberg was now in dreamland, taking sixth off Hamilton with now just two laps left to run.
Piastri was able to coast to the line, taking victory from Norris by 2.5s at the finish, with Leclerc snatching an unlikely third.
Verstappen slapped with a 10 second time penalty upon crossing the line, leaving him 10th, giving Hulkenberg fifth place, and two points for Alonso in his home Grand Prix.
Hamilton and Hadjar were sixth and seventh, with Gasly eighth.
READ MORE – F1 2025 Spanish Grand Prix – Race Results
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