Spanish Grand Prix 2025: Piastri Shines, Verstappen Faces Penalty Drama

Oscar Piastri delivered a commanding performance to win the Spanish Grand Prix, leading a McLaren one-two finish with teammate Lando Norris at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Australian’s fifth victory of the 2025 Formula 1 season extended his championship lead to 10 points over Norris, while a late-race controversy involving Max Verstappen and George Russell stole headlines.

• Piastri clinches Spanish GP win in McLaren 1-2 as Verstappen penalty sparks late drama
• Verstappen risks race ban after clash with Russell; Piastri extends F1 title lead
• McLaren dominates in Barcelona; Verstappen’s penalty drops him to tenth in fiery finale

Starting from pole, Piastri stayed cool under pressure from Verstappen, who zipped past Norris for second at the start. McLaren’s smart two-stop tire strategy kept Piastri in front, and he crossed the finish line 2.4 seconds ahead of Norris. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc snagged third, making the most of a late safety car period caused by Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes getting stuck in the gravel at Turn 10.

The real drama unfolded in the final laps. Max Verstappen, running on hard tires after an unusual four-stop strategy, tangled with Mercedes’ George Russell. Earlier, on the safety car restart, the two had collided at Turn 1, and Verstappen was told to give the position back to Russell. As Russell passed, Verstappen seemed to intentionally speed up into the Mercedes, earning a 10-second penalty and three penalty points on his super license. With 11 points now, he’s one point away from a race ban. The penalty dropped him from fifth to tenth, leaving him 49 points behind Piastri in the title race.

Russell called the move “deliberate,” comparing it to something you’d see in a racing video game. Verstappen, clearly frustrated, grumbled about F1’s rules but didn’t say much about the incident. Meanwhile, Piastri said he felt “pretty much in control” despite Verstappen’s aggressive strategy. Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg stole the show, charging from 16th to fifth, ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari.

Also Read: Max Verstappen's Red Bull Future Hinges on Spanish Grand Prix

As Barcelona possibly hosts its final Spanish Grand Prix before Madrid takes over in 2026, McLaren’s strength and Verstappen’s troubles set the stage for a thrilling season. Next up is the Canadian Grand Prix on June 13-15.