The 2025 F1 Spanish Grand Prix ran as one would expect…until a late safety car completely dismantled those expectations. The final six laps of the grand prix are in contention for the most entertaining and action-packed laps of the season. McLaren sealed another 1-2, Leclerc snuck onto the podium for Ferrari, and Verstappen made contact with two separate drivers on the same lap.
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McLaren Pulls Further Away
Even with the new flexi-wing regulations in place, McLaren continued to extend its lead. Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and company displayed a strategic masterclass in Barcelona with their third 1-2 of the season.
“It was a tough race, Lando was pushing me the whole way… super proud of this result.”
– Oscar Piastri
The double podium stretched McLaren’s lead to 362 points, almost 200 points clear of Ferrari in second. Other teams also brought upgrades with the changes to the regulations, but it’s clear McLaren has pace regardless of how flexible their front wings were.
Ferrari: Back on the Front Foot?
Charles Leclerc surreptitiously claimed another podium, finishing P3 ahead of the Verstappen-Russell issues. Lewis Hamilton also came home in sixth after not fighting Nico Hulkenberg, who overtook him with a few laps left. The double points finish saw Ferrari jump past Red Bull and Mercedes to claim second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Leclerc wore his heart on his sleeve during post-race media sessions: “We didn’t expect to be on the podium today, honestly. But everything came together. We were consistent, clean, and opportunistic.”
Verstappen vs. Russell: Here We Go Again
The late safety car for Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes’ engine failure caused the field to bunch together with a few laps to go. Due to the already-set tire strategy, Red Bull decided to put Verstappen on the Hard compound Pirellis. After a minor collision with Leclerc on the start/finish straight, Verstappen had another collision with George Russell into Turn 1. That caused Verstappen to find the runoff road before rejoining ahead of Russell. Verstappen was ordered to cede the position back to Russell.
A few corners later, it appeared Max was slowing to allow George to pass. However, the footage appeared to show Max accelerate again and neglect to turn into the corner. Commentators and fans were left speechless. Russell, not so much: “I just got crashed into. I left the space, but he didn’t make the corner.”
After the race, when told about Russell’s reaction, Verstappen seemed to shrug it off, saying, “I’ll bring some tissues next time.” It should be noted that the FIA did not appear to share Max’s outlook. The governing body issued Verstappen three penalty points against his Super License, moving him to 11 out of the 12 required for a race ban.
Hulkenberg’s Big Day
Nico Hulkenberg capitalized on the chaos at the end of the race. The impressive P5 was his and Sauber’s best finish in years. It was a massive boost for Sauber with some much-needed points to overtake both Alpine and Aston Martin in the Constructors’ Championship.
“Good start, mega first lap, made up a bunch of positions, which was the foundation for the race. I think we made a big step in terms of fighting with the other midfield teams.”
– Nico Hulkenberg
Final Thoughts
As the 2025 F1 Spanish Grand Prix came to a close, McLaren dominated again, walking away with maximum points and momentum. Ferrari appears to be on the rise, and Red Bull seems to be rattled. With a week off before the Canadian Grand Prix, it will be intriguing to see how the teams return.
Formula One returns to the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 13th at 1:30 p.m. local time for Free Practice 1.
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Featured Image Credit: Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Media Centre
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