Lewis Hamilton drove aggressively and overtook rivals, sometimes with apparent ease. George Russell gained several places by zipping up the pit lane in the beginning and held off a late challenge from Sergio Pérez. It was an important day for Mercedes.
And so they finished 2-3.
Once more, Max Verstappen of Red Bull raced away from the Formula One field within the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona on Sunday, winning the pole, after which on race day never holding any position but first. His final margin was 24 seconds.
With five wins in seven races (and two seconds), he’s on his method to his third straight Formula One title, barring a significant shock.
Any drama needed to be found further back in a race without major incidents or crashes. Along with the showy performances by the Mercedes, Pérez, Verstappen’s teammate, raced as much as fourth after starting eleventh due to a foul qualifying.
Expected rain, which may need made things interesting, never really got here.
Late within the race, Verstappen was warned about straying off the course on some turns, but even had he been penalized, it will very likely have been five seconds, not nearly enough to take the race away.
As they’ve for weeks, his rivals and their teams will probably be shaking their heads and wondering how they will possibly stop him.
Watch Verstappen Not Lose the Lead
Not once. All day.
Where the Race Turned
When Verstappen took the pole? When he began the race without incident? When he had a problem-free pit stop?
Truthfully, at no point did Verstappen ever look as if he would lose this weekend.
Best Days, Ranked
1. Verstappen. See above. And each other race.
2. Mercedes. After an iffy begin to the season, and an embarrassing collision between its two drivers in qualifying Saturday, almost every part went right on race day. It was the primary double-podium of the yr for the team.
3. Pérez. He made up for a foul qualifying day, and a spin off the track, by racing his way as much as fourth.
What They’re Saying
“I had the harder compound. I knew the beginning was perhaps going to be a bit tricky.” — Max Verstappen, like all of us trying to seek out some drama.
“What a result for our team. We definitely didn’t expect the result we had today.” — Lewis Hamilton
“I believe they’re a bit too quick for the time being. We’re working on it. If not, perhaps next yr.” — Hamilton, realistic about Red Bull.
“I believed it will rain at one point, but it surely was sweat from my hair.” — George Russell.
“It was only a misunderstanding, an absence of communication within the garage during an intense moment so nobody is in charge.” — Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, brushing off a qualifying collision between Hamilton and Russell. Spoiler: Someone was in charge.
Drivers’ Championship Standings
Verstappen’s lead is now 53 points. Expect that to extend.
