BARCELONA, Spain — Oscar Piastri beat Lando Norris to victory on the Spanish Grand Prix as Max Verstappen appeared to deliberately drive into George Russell within the closing phases.
Piastri’s faultless drive out in entrance helped him lengthen the title lead over Norris to 10 factors and reclaim the momentum after his teammate’s Monaco Grand Prix victory seven days earlier.
However the story of the race was dictated by the reigning world champion, with one of the best and worst of Verstappen on present at both finish the race.
For the primary chunk, Verstappen’s brilliance had been on show as he took the combat to McLaren with an aggressive three-stop technique which appeared to place the orange vehicles below professional strain.
However a late Security Automotive interval turned his race on its head, with Pink Bull placing him on the much less fancied exhausting tyre and leaving him uncovered to his rivals behind.
On the restart, Verstappen almost misplaced management of his automotive utterly, earlier than shedding a spot to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc down the principle straight — after the vehicles touched — after which coming into extra contact at Flip 1 with Mercedes’ Russell. Verstappen stored the place, however solely by taking the Flip 1 exit street.
After being advised to present fourth again to Russell, Verstappen appeared to gradual, solely to drive again into the facet of the Mercedes driver when he obtained alongside.
Russell obtained previous a few corners later.
The stewards didn’t waste a lot time deciding the punishment, handing Verstappen a 10-second penalty as he crossed the road which dropped him to tenth.
“I’ve seen these strikes earlier than on simulator video games and in go-karting however by no means in Method 1,” Russell advised Sky Sports activities. “Finally we got here house in P4 and he got here house in P10, so I do not actually know what was going by his thoughts. It felt deliberate within the second.
“Max is such an incredible driver and so many individuals look as much as him, it is only a disgrace issues like that proceed to happen. It’s very pointless and it by no means appears to profit himself.”
Verstappen’s penalty elevated Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg to an unlikely fifth place.
Hulkenberg had handed Lewis Hamilton, who had an nameless race within the different Ferrari, on observe within the laps after the restart.
Isack Hadjar continued his sturdy season with a drive to seventh forward of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.
Native favorite Fernando Alonso completed ninth, scoring his first factors of the season within the course of, a welcome constructive for Aston Martin following the sudden withdrawal of teammate Lance Stroll on Saturday night.