F1 leader Antonelli wins Spanish Grand Prix as unlucky Norris misses out
Kimi Antonelli won the first Spanish Grand Prix staged at Madrid’s new circuit, securing his eighth victory of the season after a virtual safety car and a costly McLaren pit stop reshaped the race. Max Verstappen finished second and Lando Norris, who had led for much of the race, recovered to third as Antonelli extended his championship advantage.
Why It Matters
The result pushes Antonelli's lead in the drivers' standings to 81 points after 14 rounds, increasing his margin over nearest rival George Russell and significantly strengthening his position in the title fight. The outcome also highlighted how race incidents and pit-stop timing can decide results on a track where overtaking proved difficult.
Key Facts
- Winner: Kimi Antonelli
- Winner's age: 20
- Event: Spanish Grand Prix (first held at Madrid's new circuit)
- Season wins for Antonelli: 8
- Race laps: 57
Kimi Antonelli claimed victory at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid to move a significant step closer to the Formula One title. The 20-year-old Italian took advantage of a well-timed virtual safety car and a problematic McLaren pit stop to secure his eighth win of the season, stretching his championship lead to 81 points after 14 rounds.
The race featured an early tussle for the lead, with Antonelli having to hand the position back to pole-sitter Lando Norris twice on the opening lap after running wide. Norris then established a comfortable margin, but the race turned on lap 14 when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll stopped on track and triggered a virtual safety car. Antonelli, Max Verstappen and George Russell pitted under the VSC; Norris had already passed the pit entry and could not stop immediately. McLaren ultimately called Norris in on lap 16 for a tyre change, but a lengthy seven-second stop and the sequence of pit windows left him effectively behind rivals who had benefited from the VSC.
After that pivotal moment the remainder of the race was largely a high-speed procession on a circuit where passing was scarce. Antonelli crossed the line 4.3 seconds clear of Verstappen, with Norris a further 0.7 seconds behind in third. Charles Leclerc finished fourth and Russell fifth.
Further down the order, Liam Lawson took sixth for Red Bull, Franco Colapinto was seventh for Alpine, Oscar Piastri eighth for McLaren, Arvid Lindblad ninth and Nico Hulkenberg tenth. Antonelli described the win as somewhat bittersweet because he felt Norris had deserved to win on the day, while Norris said there was nothing more he could have done and that luck had not been on his side. Antonelli now leads the standings on 292 points, with teammate Russell on 211.
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Original source: Al Jazeera