The Spanish Grand Prix was not the most thrilling. At least between the 5th and 55th laps. The start of the race was enticing with George Russell outpacing everyone but very quickly, Max Verstappen set the record straight by sending the Briton back to his studies. However, the reigning world champion did not have the quietest of Sundays. In the last phase of the race, Lando Norris woke up his old friend and the public who were beginning to doze.
If he won again, the Dutchman can describe his success as lucky. As in Canada, he had to extract all his mastery to win, his Red Bull not being the reference machine on the other side of the Pyrenees. Where the three-time world champion may be concerned is that the Montmelo track is very representative of the calendar given that it is a synthesis of the different routes taken by the drivers during the season. At the finish, he was exhausted and he said to himself that the competition of which Lando Norris is more than ever the best representative will be very tough in the Grands Prix to come. The Batavian knows that a 4th world title will be acquired by strength of hand.
“The start was hot because Lando pressed me into the grass, but I braked very late, and then Russell passed in front,” analyzed Verstappen. “I was able to take the lead on the second lap and the first part of the race allowed me to widen the gap. Still happy because I then had to lead a defensive race. Lando was very fast this Sunday, but we opted for the right strategy.
Orange of rage
At Lando Norris, on the other hand, we grimaced somewhat. Ah, if only the McLaren driver hadn’t had a mediocre start which saw him go from 1st to 3rd place in a few hectometers! The MCL38 was indeed the best car in Spain. But when Lando got rid of the Mercedes, it was already too late. In the end, two short seconds separated the two friends. But with a better takeoff, Norris surely could have controlled Max.
“It’s as simple as that, I should have won, complains Lando. The car was incredible this Sunday but it was me who was not up to the task. There is no doubt that we were the fastest in Spain, I just lost everything at the start. I’m frankly disappointed with this second place, even if there are a lot of positives to take from this weekend. It’s clear that my bad start cost me dearly. , I am fully aware of that.”
On a circuit favoring top speed, will the McLaren tickle the Red Bull again in a week in Austria, on the land of the red bull? We fervently hope for it in Woking.
