Race Notes - Piastri takes McLaren one-two

By Mark Karp

Oscar Piastri won the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona in his McLaren-Mercedes, after a late race Safety car, over his team mate Lando Norris by 2.671 seconds.

During the Safety car all drivers took to soft tyres, except Max Verstappen who took hard tyres, as the team had no other choice left - and struggled as he restarted third,

Charles Leclerc finished third in his Ferrari, 10.455 seconds behind, after passing Verstappen.

The win is Piastri’s fifth of the season and seventh of his career.

George Russell (11.359s) finished fourth in his Mercedes GP after battling with Verstappen on lap 64, Verstappen touched Russell, the team told Verstappen to let him back by, but then Verstappen looked to be doing so, but instead he hit Russell as he came by. After the race Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty, and he fell down the order to tenth.

Nico Hulkenberg. (13.649s) in the Sauber-Ferrari was fifth, followed by Lewis Hamilton (15.508s) in the Ferrari was sixth, Isack Hadjar (16.022s) in the Racing Bulls-Honda was seventh, Pierre Gasly (17.882s) in the Alpine-Renault was eighth, Fernando Alonso (21.564s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes took his first points finish in ninth, and with his penalty Verstappen (21.826) in his Red Bull-Honda took the final point in tenth.

In the morning Aston Martin announced the Lance Stroll has pain in his hand and wrist from an issue from an earlier operation and will not participate in today’s race.

Before the start Tsunoda, after changes overnight will start from the pit lane.

It is a all-McLaren front row of Piastri on pole, with Norris alongside on the front row, Verstappen and Russell on row 2, Hailton and Antonelli on row 3, Leclerc and Gasly on row 4, and Hadjar and Alonso rounding out the top ten.

All drivers starting on soft tyres, except Tsunoda on medium tyres. A two-stop strategy expected.

At the appointed time the team personnel left the grid and the drivers brought the cars around on the formation lap, lined up on the front straight. The lights went out and the race began on the long run down to the first corner with Piastri in the lead, Verstappen passes Norris, Antonelli goes wide, Hamilton takes fourth, Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Gasly Hadjar and Hulkenberg in tenth, Alonso in eleventh.

On lap 2 Piastri amd Verstappen get a bit of a gap to Norris in third.

Piastri sets fast lap of 1,19.866s.

Piastri leads Verstappen, Norris, Hamilton, Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Gasly, Hadjar, and Hulkenberg in tenth.

On lap 5 Piastri gets a 2.4 second gap on Verstappen.

Leclerc is right on the tail of Hamilton in fourth.

Albon pits with front wing damage.

On lap 9 Leclerc looks to the inside of Hamilton at the first corner, but the positions remain.

On lap 10 Hamilton lets Leclerc by for fourth place.

Hulkenberg and Sainz pit.

At lap 10 Piastri leads Verstappen by 3.7 seconds, followed by Norris (4.5s), Leclerc (10.5s), Hamilton (12.3s), Russell (13.7s), Antonelli (16.3s), Hadjar (20.7s), Alonso (23.5s), and Bortoleto (28.4s) in tenth.

On lap 13 Norris passes Verstappen down the main straight for second place.Norris is 4.2 seconds behind his team mate.

Alonso run through the gravel but continues in 11th.

The next lap Verstappen pits for another set of soft tyres and rejoins eighth.

On lap 15 Colapinto pits.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m19.630s.

On lap 16 Alonso pits

Hamilton pits for medium tyres and rejoins ninth.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m19.450s.

On lap 18 Leclerc pits for medium tyres and rejoins seventh.

Verstappen passes Antonelli for fourth.

Lawson pits.

At lap 20 Piasti leads Norris by 4.9 seconds, followed by Verstappen (20.9s), Russell (23.4s), Antonelli (27.3s), Leclerc (35.5s), Hamilton (40.9s), Gasly, Hulkenberg, and Hadjar in tenth.

On lap 21 Russell pits and rejoins seventh.

On lap 22 Norris pits from second for medium tyres and rejoins third. Antonelli pits.

The next lap leader Piastri pits for mediums and rejoins second behind Verstappen.

Russell sets fast lap at 1m19.163s.

On lap 24 Antonelli passes Gasly for seventh.

Lawson and Alonso get past Albon for 12th.

Albon pits and retires.

On lap 30 Verstappen pits and changes from soft to medium tyres and rejoins fourth.

At lap 31 Piastri leads Norris by 5.1 seconds, followed by Leclerc (9.9s), Verstappen (16.3s), Hamilton (21.5s), Russell (23.1s), Antonelli (37.0s), Hadjar (42.8s), Hulkenberg (48.8s), and Bearman (58.6s) in tenth.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m18.216s.

Verstappen is closing on Leclerc in third.

On lap 35 Bortoleto passes Sainz for 13th.

On lap 36 Lawson passes Bearman for tenth, who then pits.

Verstappen passes Leclerc for third.

On lap 38 Sainz passes Colapinto for 17th.

Tsunoda passes Ocon for 13th.

On lap 40 Leclerc pits for fourth for another medium tyres and rejoin sixth.

On lap 42 Russell pits from fifth place for soft tyres and rejoins seventh.

Alonso pits.

At lap 45 Piastri leads Norris but 2.8 seconds, followed by Verstappen (7.1s), Hamilton (27.4s), Leclerc (36.7s), Antonelli (43.6s), Russell (44.4s), Hadjar (53.3s), Hulkenberg (1m04.5s), and Lawson (1m13.2s) in tenth.

Onn lap 46 Hulkenberg pits. Hamilton pits from fourth for soft tyres and rejoins seventh with a slow stop.

On lap 47 Verstappen pits from third for soft tyres and rejoins still in third.

On lap 49 Norris pits from second for soft tyres and rejoins in second ahead of Verstappen.

The next lap Pastri pits from the lead for soft tyres and rejoins still in the lead.

On lap 49 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m17.141s.

Verstappen tells the team, "The ride of the car is completely broken."

On lap 52 with lapped traffic getting in the way, Verstappen closes to 1.6 seconds behind Norris.

Alonso passes Bearman for 12th.

On lap 55 Antonelli is off the track with a mechanical problem. The Safety car is out.

Most drivers pit. The order behind the Safety car is Piastri, Norris, Verstappen, Leclerc, Russell, Hamilton, Hadjar, Hulkenberg, Gasly and Lawson in tenth, Ocon, Bortoleto, Alonso, Bearman, Tsunoda, Sainz and Colapinto in 17th.

Verstappen asks why they put him on hard tyres, and the team responds that is all they had left. All other drivers on soft, except Ocon on medium.

On lap 61 of 66, the Safety car is in, and Piastri crosses the line in the lead, Leclerc passes Verstappen for third, the two touching down the straight. Russell and Verstappen touch as well.

On lap 61 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m15.743s.

On lap 64 Red Bull advises Verstappen to let Russell past, Verstappen complains why, he seemingly looks to stay on the inside and slow up into the corner, Russell passes on the outside, and Verstappen lunges down the inside touches Russell.

Alonso passes Lawson for tenth.

Hulkenberg passes Hamilton for sixth.

Russell is reporting damage.

On the final lap Piastri crosses the checkered flag ahead of Norris and Leclerc.

Verstappen is handed a 10-second penalty.