Verstappen triumphs in nail-biting Spanish Grand Prix with Norris and Hamilton completing the podium

BARCELONA, Spain — Max Verstappen clinched a stunning victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, narrowly fending off a determined Lando Norris to secure his seventh win of the season. The Red Bull driver, despite facing an early challenge from Norris, demonstrated his championship credentials by taking control of the race shortly after the start.

Verstappen seized the lead on Lap 3, capitalizing on George Russell’s electric start from P4. Russell had initially shot ahead, but Verstappen, after expressing frustration at being squeezed by Norris at the start, calmly overtook the McLaren driver and later swept past Russell with a daring move on the outside of Turn 1.

Pole-sitter Norris, who had previously hailed his "perfect lap" in qualifying, was hindered in the early stages by being stuck behind Russell, which compromised his fight for the lead.

Throughout the race, the lead exchanged hands multiple times owing to pit stops. However, Verstappen maintained control, strategically managing his pace and preserving a fresh set of soft tyres for the final stint. Despite a slow 3.6-second pit stop, he held off Norris to take the win.

Lewis Hamilton secured his first podium of the 2024 season for Mercedes, following spirited duels with Carlos Sainz's Ferrari. Russell finished fourth, expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of his hard tyres in the final stint.

Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished in P5 and P6 respectively, the team's hopes for a stronger challenge at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya unfulfilled.

Alpine had a solid outing, with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon finishing ninth and tenth respectively, ensuring a double points finish for the team.

Sergio Perez overcame a grid penalty and a start from P11 to finish eighth, executing a late overtake on Gasly. Nico Hulkenberg ended in 11th for Haas, impacted by a five-second penalty for pit lane speeding, while Fernando Alonso's challenging weekend saw him finish 12th.

Zhou Guanyu of Alfa Romeo finished ahead of Alonso’s Aston Martin teammate, Lance Stroll, in 13th place. Daniel Ricciardo concluded a tough weekend for RB with a 15th-place finish, as new updates didn't yield the desired results.

Yuki Tsunoda finished 19th, with Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen, and Alexander Albon taking 16th, 17th, and 18th places respectively. Logan Sargeant's Williams was the last to cross the line in 20th.

Verstappen's delight at securing his third consecutive Spanish Grand Prix victory contrasted with Norris’s disappointment. The British driver admitted over the team radio that a poor start hampered his chances of challenging for the win.

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