F1 Spanish Grand Prix: Verstappen makes it three-in-a-row after intriguing race

Many will remember the time where Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya was not revered – the racing was bland, overtaking was at a premium, and the name of the game was always tyre preservation. That’s why, heading into yesterday’s race, the removal of the final chicane was not just welcomed, but celebrated. Unquestionably, the racing was much improved and provided entertainment at what was a relatively dull grand prix.

That new chicane was replaced by a high-speed corner, which certainly encouraged overtaking alongside the mixed-up grid after a downright confusing qualifying session which saw Charles Leclerc qualify nineteenth, Sergio Perez twelfth, George Russell eleventh and Lando Norris, the star of qualifying who was starting third.

This therefore set up a fascinating encounter with strategy – and the race may have not had a single yellow flag or retirement, but yesterday’s race proved that it was not a necessity. Most opted for a two-stop strategy with varying tyre choices, with most starting on the low-degrading soft compound.

Lando Norris’ fantastic qualifying performance was chucked away in turn 1 after he made contact with Lewis Hamilton’s rear, which saw the McLaren front wing damaged, and the Brit drop to last. The McLaren’s had a miserable day following that and scored zero points.

It was Max Verstappen who controlled the race once again though, leading from turn 1 on the first lap to a 24 second gap to 2nd at the conclusion of the race on lap 66. The two-time champion was dominant and imperious once again, proving his knack for consistency. His teammate, Sergio Perez only managed fourth, putting Verstappen 50 points ahead. The supposed championship battle was never going to last with Verstappen’s racecraft.

The winners of the weekend were undoubtedly Mercedes. Their upgrades from Monaco were not truly represented, so this weekend in Barcelona was crucial for their development path. They earned a double podium, with both drivers excelling their qualifying position. Of course, the gap to Red Bull was still excessive, but Mercedes will be delighted with the step, and as Lewis Hamilton, who finished second repeatedly noted, if you are good in Barcelona, you are good everywhere.

Aston Martin had their first disappointing weekend of the season, which speaks to their fantastic season so far. Fernando Alonso had floor damage in qualifying, which saw him out of the top running, with Lance Stroll qualifying ahead. However, the race pace was far off, and Mercedes were far clear. Alonso stated that a big update is coming to Canada next up, and he expects Aston Martin to return to second fastest.

Ferrari’s weekend was relatively mundane, with Charles Leclerc’s race pace desperately needing a post-mortem following the dreadful qualifying and average race pace. Carlos Sainz qualified well at his home race but was unable to keep with the Mercedes.

Barcelona was a refreshing race to watch following the set of street tracks, and kick-started a crucial European season of this season, where the order will change each race. Next up is a stop in Montreal in a fortnight, however.