ISLAMABAD: Oscar Piastri secured a commanding victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, leading a McLaren one-two finish alongside teammate Lando Norris.
The race at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya saw Piastri extend his championship lead after a thrilling contest that ended with Max Verstappen’s demotion due to a controversial collision.
The Australian driver’s win marked his fifth victory in nine races this season, underscoring McLaren’s resurgence and intensifying the title fight.
Race Highlights and Verstappen Controversy
Starting from pole position, Piastri held off teammate Norris by 2.471 seconds, delivering a strong response following his third-place finish at Monaco the previous weekend.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium after overtaking Verstappen’s Red Bull six laps from the finish. Verstappen, who struggled with tire strategy and made four pit stops, was involved in multiple clashes—most notably with George Russell and Leclerc.
These incidents resulted in Verstappen receiving a 10-second time penalty post-race, dropping him from fifth to tenth place, along with three penalty points, edging him closer to a potential race ban.
Implications for Championship and Teams
The penalty intensified the drama as Verstappen’s aggressive maneuvers were widely criticized, including from former world champion Nico Rosberg, who suggested harsher sanctions might be justified.
Meanwhile, McLaren’s strong performance elevated them further in the constructors’ standings, with Ferrari moving up to second place. Verstappen remains third in the driver rankings, now 49 points behind Piastri, highlighting an emerging McLaren vs. Red Bull rivalry.
Other notable performances included Nico Hulkenberg’s fifth place for Audi’s future team and Fernando Alonso scoring his first points for Aston Martin this season.
