Vince Piastri

Catalonia all papaya in Formula 1, Leclerc on the podium thanks to Antonelli

1 June 2025

Formula Uno F1 - Gran Premio di Spagna - Circuito di Barcellona-Catalunya, Barcellona, Spagna - 1 giugno 2025 Oscar Piastri della McLaren festeggia sul podio con champagne dopo aver vinto il Gran Premio di Spagna con Lando Norris della McLaren, secondo classificato, e Charles Leclerc della Ferrari, terzo classificato. (REUTERS/Albert Gea)

6' min read

Piastri for the fifth time this season wins and sets the track record, without any real confrontation with Norris, and already joins Senna and Hamilton in a small but important ranking: he is the first in McLaren to stand on the podium eight consecutive times. He has also completed all the laps of every single grand prix since Brazil in 2023. If he makes no mistakes and his car remains dominant, in short, it will be no surprise if he becomes world champion at the end of the year.

It was also a great satisfaction for the team, as it had been more than 20 years since McLaren had triumphed in Catalonia: the last one was by Kimi Raikkonen, on 8 May 2005, a date even more significant for Formula 1 as Haas rookie Oliver Bearman was born on that day. And all in all, the race in the streets of Barcelona was won by the Woking team, as one of the most popular T-shirts among the fans, at least among the female public, was the one with the face of the albeit engaged Lando Norris.

Worthy of note is the first podium, in third place, for Charles Leclerc: it is his first time at this track and only his second this season.

The Spanish race, hot, sunny, regular, very monotonous, is, as always, a full house because it is a great place, easy to get to, well organised. And although no longer in top teams, there are still two Spanish riders with heavy names and resumes. And, all in all, Montmeló has seen its share of motorsport adventures, between cars and motorbikes. This is the twenty-eighth consecutive grand prix to be run in the dry, so the rain variable at these latitudes is hardly contemplated.

However, Formula 1 2025 does not add much to the narrative of this papaya-flavoured year: with the two McLarens on the podium ahead of the others, there would have been little to surprise. But in place of Verstappen, who for much of Sunday seemed unrivalled, was the Ferrari variable. After a fifth and sixth place qualifying, Russell seemed within reach. So much so that Charles did it and important points came his way, third and sixth, although one would have hoped more on Hamilton. He did, however, stand out a little and roared like a lion, despite the fact that in the early stages he even got a team order, which was not immediately obeyed, to let the Monegasque virgula pass. But at the end he must have had a problem, so much so that he could no longer fight with Russell and even had to give up a position to an unpredictable Hulkemberg.

First half: tug and pull in a flat calm like a Portofino August bank holiday

The lights went off at Montmeló and Piastri held the lead with great responsiveness, while Verstappen immediately tried to make a move on Norris, who found himself wedged between the Dutchman and Russell. The latter goes long and is overtaken by a determined Leclerc, who immediately takes fifth place.

In the early laps, the McLaren duo immediately seemed competitive: Piastri tried to gain a margin, setting the best time on lap four. Behind, Hamilton finds himself sandwiched between Leclerc and the need to defend himself, while the younger Ferrarista insists he cannot get past. From the Ferrari box comes the order to let him go, but the Englishman as mentioned resists.

Verstappen, initially struggling, complains of reduced grip compared to the papaya cars. On lap 13 he is overtaken by Norris, who takes over the track. The Dutchman pitted on lap 14, switching to a fresh set of softs and exiting in eighth, in an attempt to take advantage of the alternative strategy.

Ferrari responds shortly afterwards with Hamilton, who pits on lap 17 and mounts medium tyres: he tries the undercut but it only works on the Mercedes. Immediately afterwards, Verstappen makes up ground and easily gets rid of first Antonelli, then also Russell, quickly moving up.

It is the turn of Leclerc, who puts on the yellow tyres, new, on lap 18. The two McLarens, meanwhile, extend their stints without showing any signs of failure: Norris stops on lap 22, Piastri a lap later. Both are back among the leaders, with the Australian retaining his position ahead of a steady Verstappen.

On lap 25, the pace tightens up: Leclerc reduces the gap to Norris, while the first four lap on similar times. The British cars' tyre management seems effective, but the spectre of an extra stop is still lurking.

Between lap 26 and lap 28 a duel breaks out between Lawson and Albon, which also involves the Thai's front wing. The contact leads to the latter's retirement and a 10-second penalty, served in the pits before abandoning the race.

Verstappen, always aggressive, anticipates his second stop on lap 29. He rejoins the battle with Hamilton, but manages to stay in front, defending fourth place. His strategy clearly points to three tyre changes, a hypothesis confirmed by a radio message on lap 34.

At the end of the first half of the race, Norris slightly increased the pace, while Piastri managed without risk. The first lapped cars begin to slow the Australian down slightly, but the situation remains under control. The classification from third onwards is still wide open.

The last sixth, the race within the most beautiful race

There was also little of significance in the second half of the sixty-six lap race, at least until lap 55, when Andrea Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes went off the track due to a mechanical failure: the necessary and immediate parking in the gravel triggered a 'physical' safety car that prompted a further pit stop. For some a boon, for others unexpected but still beneficial. With a few excellent exceptions: for Verstappen, on his fourth return, for example, there was only one set of hard tyres left, not even intact. And this will be the first discriminating factor in finishing off the podium.

The most beautiful section of the race is therefore after the flying start on lap 61. Piastri escapes by punching hard two corners before the finish. Verstappen has a serious spill on the straight due to his mistake. He does well to regain control, however there was also light contact with the Ferrari, as an overtaking Leclerc at a much higher speed could not fail to take advantage of the mistake, overtaking him. He deserved the podium, thus improving his position by four positions compared to qualifying.

And while a newly infantile Verstappen is calling for his position on the Ferrari to be restored in real time, the Dutchman, meanwhile, as he struggles to hold his position goes and 'hits' a Russell who attacks him on the outside of the corner. He runs into him like a kart, damages him and gets the team radio to let him pass. And from there he crashes again like a kid, not a reigning world champion. And so from fifth at the finish line on the last lap he also 'gets' a ten second penalty, mathematically and sadly slipping to tenth place overall.

And if Russell is enjoying fourth place, the Swiss team Sauber with Hulkemberg is gloating: already when there were only a few kilometres left, on the penultimate lap, he had managed the miracle of putting his nose in front of Hamilton's Ferrari. On the other side was Verstappen's gift, which also benefited many drivers who rarely finish in the points.

Stroll absent, no substitute: a regulatory mess

Aston Martin's Canadian driver Lance Stroll did not take part in this Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix due to worsening pain in his right hand and wrist. The team announced that Stroll did not race and that he would undergo further surgery to resolve the problems.

Stroll's wrist surgery followed a cycling accident on the eve of the 2023 season. During a training session in Malaga, the driver had sustained several injuries, including fractures in both wrists and a broken toe. For the past six weeks, Stroll has suffered persistent pain in his hand and wrist.

Aston Martin did not field a reserve driver for the race, as FIA sporting regulations do not allow substitutions after the qualifying session. Perhaps too recklessly, in fact, Lance had been lined up at the Catalan weekend and had set the 14th fastest time. The team's head of track engineering, Mike Krack, also explained that Stroll's team had received a warning from the FIA for failing to carry out the mandatory weigh-in immediately after qualifying, apparently due to pain that caused him to leave the track, regardless of the rules. A behaviour, if that was indeed the case, a little unprofessional for the federation, but tolerated by the team whose founders include his wealthy father. The team's aim is to have Stroll back in the car for the Canadian Grand Prix, due in a fortnight' time, so there is no room for any other possible rookies, ready and raring to go, from Formula 2.