Max Verstappen leads the Formula 1 World Championship for the first time this season after winning the Spanish Grand Prix.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc looked assured of an easy win, dominating the race from pole position until his engine gave out with an unspecified problem on lap 27.
As such, Red Bull claimed a double with Sergio Pérez second, followed by George Russell who had another blistering drive to finish third. Hometown hero Carlos Sainz finished fourth, but only after Lewis Hamilton suffered a coolant leak that forced him to slow in the closing laps, allowing the Ferrari to pass. He finished fifth.
Verstappen’s pace looks terrific
When he finished a race this year, Verstappen won it. Although not quite up to qualifying pace yet, the Dutchman made it count when it mattered to move six points clear in the overall championship standings.
Not that he made it easy for himself. An unusual spin – in the exact same spot as Sainz – saw him fall behind Mercedes’ Russell. A faulty DRS on the Red Bull meant he struggled to pass on the straights and had to resort to pit undercuts to pass the Briton.
But once Leclerc retired, and Perez ordered to stand aside, victory went to only one man. That means Verstappen now has four wins to Leclerc’s two, plus three on the rebound – that’s a form Ferrari will need to break.
Mercedes makes gains
Although their pace was still lower than the front two, the Mercedes duo looked stronger in Spain. The team arrived with a series of improvements on the ground and looked better in practice on Friday, suffering from fewer porpoises on the straights.
Unlike Miami, that uptick continued throughout the weekend, as Russell showed by holding off Verstappen with a masterful display of defensive driving during the race. At least this battle has proven that the future of the sport is healthy, with talents like Russell and Leclerc capable of battling the 2021 world champion.
Hamilton was also optimistic after the race, telling reporters his fightback from the back of the pack (after being hit by Kevin Magnussen’s Haas on lap one) was “better than a win”.
In anticipation of Monaco
The crown jewel of the F1 calendar is this weekend and Ferrari should be in fine form. The red cars looked strong all weekend in the slow and medium corners of Spain, and this kind of corner is not uncommon in Monaco. Moreover, Leclerc has the home advantage. Can he break his Monegasque bogey?
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-05-23 10:11:43
