Defying the heat, a cool and calm Oscar Piastri won the Spanish Grand Prix and extended his lead in the Championship over second placed team mate Lando Norris. Talking of heat our 2025 Spanish F1 Grand Prix Result Summary covers the cool to the boiling hot, which includes Max Verstappen post race.
This 2025 Spanish Grand Prix Result, Laps that Matter summary, Review & Ratings which gives you just enough to catch up with. With just a hint of cynicism, bias, opinion and colour. The perfect bite sized review for those who couldn’t be bothered, or don’t have enough time.
READ MORE: Spanish Grand Prix-View
READ MORE: Latest Driver Ratings
READ MORE: Greg Norman – Nor-mansplains the Monaco Grand Prix
2025 Spanish F1 Grand Prix Result Race Summary
Didn’t see the race live? Don’t have time to watch the whole race? Here’s where we capture the laps where stuff happened. We write these live as we go, sort of like a minute by minute for the football, but marginally more interesting.
Setting the scene – Looks like the flexible wing regulation changes didn’t do much to stop McLaren’s dominance as they take 1-2 in qualifying with Oscar Piastri in front for this race. Lewis Hamilton remarked that the flex wing changes were a waste of money and it should have gone to charity. He’s probably right. Talking of Lewis he qualified in a season best so far 5th. Ahead of him is Max Verstappen in 3rd, and he’ll be looking to replicate his Imola start where he barged through on pole sitter Piastri. It’s a long way to the first corner. George Russell did as well as ever to qualify 4th. The big pre-race news is that Lance Stroll pulled out of the GP claiming an injury. Sadly for everyone involved except Lance Stroll, and possibly his father, because he qualified in 14th the team can’t bring in a replacement. Typically selfish Stroll, who claimed the injury has been playing up for weeks. Poor Felipe Drugovich who has been reserve drivers for several seasons, and this would have been a great opportunity to give him a go. Alas, Stroll sucks. So just 19 drivers starting. Yuki Tsunoda from pitlane.
Race day is very hot, so managing tyres is key, which McLaren is best at currently. So that run to the first corner is super critical to stay in clean air and save tyres.
GRID (Starting Order) – PIA NOR VER RUS HAM ANT LEC GAS HAD ALO
Lap 1 – Pole sitter Piastri gets away very well, perfect in fact, and covers the field into turn one. Max Verstappen helps him out by passing Lando Norris into turn one too. Several cars take the cheap seats line on the inside of turn two, but there’s no major accidents at the first corner. The Ferraris are on the move too. Lewis Hamilton is 4th and Charles Leclerc passes George Russell for fifth in the first half of the lap. Nico Hulkenberg has gained five places to sit 10th after the first lap in the biggest midfield highlight.
ORDER – PIA VER NOR HAM LEC RUS ANT GAS HAD HUL
Lap 2 – Fernando Alonso steals 10th from Nico Hulkenberg in a brilliant move only to lose the place back to The Hulk a corner later. Max Verstappen is harassing Oscar Piastri for the lead. They have a small gap on Lando Norris in third. Maybe Norris is saving his tyres, which would be smart.
Lap 5 – Oscar Piastri continues to lead as Max Verstappen drops off to 2.5 seconds behind, with Lando Norris just under two seconds behind Max. The field is spreading out as people are looking after their tyres already. This race is either going to be a strategic thriller or the dullest race of the year from a track that is thankfully done hosting GPs after this season.
Lap 7 – The Ferraris are battling hard for 4th place, given his season, no wonder Lewis Hamilton doesn’t want to give it up easily. Alex Albon makes the first pit stop for tyres. First of many we presume. Lando Norris told via radio he can push on the tyres now and get past Max Verstappen.
Lap 9 – The Ferraris are still battling and Lewis slams the door shut on Charles Leclerc into turn one. Hamilton is five seconds behind Lando Norris in third, so they are losing ground. Ferrari have come on the radio and requested a position swap. That’ll make him happier. We’ll see if it happens.
Lap 11 – More pitstops from the midfield offer some points of interest. What would be more interesting is the battle of Norris v Verstappen, which the TV cameras find eventually. Meanwhile Piastri’s tyres are going off and Lando’s aren’t. Could be interesting if Norris overtakes Verstappen.
Lap 13 – Lando Norris does pass Max Verstappen into turn one on lap 13 to take second and chase his race-leading teammate. Max Verstappen pits at the end of the lap and rejoins just behind 7th placed Isack Hadjar but doesn’t take long to get past. Helps that his team have four cars instead of two. Norris is four seconds behind Piastri.
Lap 16 – Oscar Piastri is still just over four seconds in front of Lando Norris in the lead, enough to cover a half stuff-up. Fernando Alonso concludes an eventful period of running off the track and some overtaking with a pitstop. Lewis Hamilton also comes into the pits, Leclerc does so a lap later and rejoins well ahead of his team mate.
ORDER – PIA NOR RUS VER ANT HAD LEC LAW HAM BOR
Lap 19 – Piastri has squeezed the lead out to 4.9 seconds as the chess game of pitstops between the two championship and team rivals continues. His team asks him if he can get to lap 25, Oscar says difficult but possible as only he can. Like he does for everything else. Dead panned.
Lap 22 – Lando Norris pits for tyres, and a good stop it is. He rejoins in 3rd behind Max Verstappen but on fresher tyres.
Lap 23 – Oscar Piastri pits a lap later. Will he keep the lead over his team mate and Max Verstappen? The answer is yes and no. Verstappen is in front by over five seconds and Norris is nearly five seconds behind. So Red Bull’s earlier pit stop works for now, but the McLarens tyres are going to be much fresher later on. All drivers have pit for tyres now. Looks like this is a second race in a row where most drivers will be trying to drive as slow as possible. Which kind of sucks. But is pure F1.
ORDER – VER PIA NOR LEC HAM RUS ANT GAS HAD HUL
Lap 28 – The McLarens are starting to catch Max Verstappen. Well, Oscar Piastri is. He has cut the lead down to less than three seconds, while maintaining his over four second lead to Lando Norris.
Lap 30 – Max Verstappen pits for a second time and rejoins in fourth just in front of Lewis Hamilton. Looks like he’s going for a three stop strategy vs the more conservative two stops.
Lap 33 – Max Verstappen sets a fastest lap from fourth to show his speed on new tyres. Meanwhile Piastri has opened up the gap to Lando Norris, the lead is over five seconds now.
Lap 36 – Max Verstappen gets past Charles Leclerc into turn one like he is standing still. That’s third and it’s put the scares into McLaren who quickly up their pace. Norris is within 3.3 seconds of Piastri now. Some cat and mouse gear here. Norris is 2.8 seconds behind on lap 38. And closing.
Lap 39 – Coverage shows a battle between Esteban Ocon and Yuki Tsunoda for 13th. Almost forgotten that either driver was in the race.
Lap 40 – Lando Norris continues to close in on Piastri with the lead now only 2.3 seconds, and Max Verstappen just under five seconds behind Norris. Charles Leclerc pits for new tyres and drops to sixth.
Lap 45 – Checking in at the front and Oscar Piastri leads by nearly four seconds now, which is a little more comfortable. Max Verstappen is within four seconds of Norris. Presuming everyone is going to stop again, this could get interesting. If not everyone pits, then it gets even more interesting.
Lap 48 – Max Verstappen pits for a third time, rejoining third ahead of Leclerc. He did rejoin behind his team mate, who is a lap behind and in the way, for a few hundred metres.
Lap 49 – Lando Norris pits to cover Max Verstappen, which he does. Only just. The gap is down to a second only.
Lap 50 – Oscar Piastri follows suit and pits a lap later. He keeps the lead and has a lead of just over four seconds to Norris. But just in front of Piastri is a train of midfield cars. This is the period that will make or break the race.
Lap 51 – Gaps at the front is 2.4 seconds from Piastri to Norris and 1.7 seconds from Norris to Verstappen. Max Verstappen complaining about his car, so can’t see sensational progress from him.
ORDER – PIA NOR VER LEC RUS HAM ANT HAD HUL GAS
Lap 52 – Liam Lawson battling Oliver Bearman and they forgot they were being lapped and got in the way of Lando Norris big time. It helps Max Verstappen close on the McLaren. He calls the drivers f***ing idiots, and he’s probably right. Those two drivers were at it again at turn one on the next lap and it almost led to tears. Tissues are ready for the third chapter.
Lap 54 – Piastri leads Norris by 3.3 seconds now, with Max Verstappen now 2.3 seconds behind Norris after closing right up after the backmarkers shenanigans a few laps ago.
Lap 55 – Kimi Antonelli has gone off into the gravel trap, and the stewards are very quick to bring out the Safety Car. So all gaps are neutralised. And a grandstand finish set up. Replays show Antonelli’s off looks like it was a mechanical issue. That’s two in three races for him.
SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
Oscar Piastri pits, Lando Norris Pits. Max Verstappen pits. Let’s just say everyone that is important to the sharper end of the race pits. Max Verstappen is on hard tyres, and questions why. He is told they are the only option he had. So he will find it hard to compete over the last few laps. The McLarens are on soft tyres.
ORDER – PIA NOR VER LEC RUS HAM HAD HUL GAS LAW
SAFETY CAR EXITS
Lap 61 – Oscar Piastri slams on the brakes as the Safety car heads off and we nearly see and prang between the top three. As they speed off Piastri keeps his lead over Norris but Verstappen is quickly under pressure from Charles Leclerc on the pit straight and the Ferrari blasts past. George Russell smells blood and dives in to overtake as well, forcing Max Verstappen to run wide, but he does keep fourth place. Verstappen claims he was hit by Leclerc. Replays show it was Verstappen who kind of ran into Leclerc. George Russell did though run into Verstappen.
Lap 63 – Oscar Piastri leads his team mate by 1.6 seconds with three laps to go. The McLarens have nearly four second on Charles Leclerc in third.
Lap 64 – Max Verstappen is told to let George Russell past. He argues with his team to say no. Then George Russell thinks Verstappen is letting him past and they almost crash. If Max wasn’t in trouble before, he is now. McLarens exchange fastest laps. Meanwhile amongst all the excitement, The Hulk is up to sixth place. What a pro. Fernando Alonso is up to 10th, which is a great effort as he unlapped himself under the Safety car.
FINAL LAP – Oscar Piastri has extended his lead over Lando Norris to over two seconds as he starts the final lap, with Lando Norris clearing away from Leclerc at pace. Piastri completes the final lap with no fuss, as ever, and wins the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his lead in the Championship and wrestle back some momentum from his team mate as the triple header comes to a close. Those three races sees Lando Norris end with a second, first and second, so a decent return and a 2-1 H2H win over Piastri. Charles Leclerc completes the podium. Max Verstappen gets a penalty a ten second penalty for causing a collision and drops to tenth. He is seen storming off from his car before the McLarens return to the winner’s circle. Looking forward to the next round of Russell v Verstappen. Some good stories further back in the points, none better than The Hulk who ends up fifth.
FINAL ORDER (Across the line) – PIA NOR LEC RUS HUL HAM HAD GAS ALO VER
Here we go through the field and highlight the very best (Great) of the race, and the plodders, the over-ambitious, the out of luck, and simply hopeless (Grape).
These points get added to our Driver of the Season scores. 5 points for a great nomination, and -5 for the worst or grapest driver in the pack. Then it is +2 /-2 for honourable or dishonourable mentions.
THE GREAT-EST – OSCAR PIASTRI
Great way to end the triple header with a win from pole with his team mate kept under control for the most. He extends the lead in the Championship.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
NICO HULKENBERG – Fifth place and points-a-plenty for The Hulk again in a Sauber that’s not expected to score many, if any in 2025. That’s 16 for the season now and 10th place in the Championship within reach.
LANDO NORRIS – Although beaten by his team mate and Championship rival, it’s still solid second place and maybe starting to elbow Max Verstappen out of Championship contention.
CHARLES LECLERC – Decent end result for what was a unremarkable race up until the Safety Car. Nailed Max Verstappen on the restart for the final trophy.
ISACK HADJAR – A great, underrated, almost forgotten drive from the rookie. Proving that this bunch of rookies is a good bunch. Lawson, Bearman and Bortoleto not far from points. If he continues on his current trajectory there could be a Red Bull drive as a reward. Or punishment.
FERNANDO ALONSO – First points of the season, and looked like he thoroughly enjoyed himself.
GABRIEL BORTOLETO – Qualified 12th in a superb effort in the Kick Sauber. 12th place in the race too, so no points but kept others honest in the midfield.
THE GRAPE-EST – LANCE STROLL
Pulls out of the race with an injured wrist that his team says has been bothering him for some time but doesn’t do it before qualifying 14th. So he must have been disappointed with not exiting in Q1 as per usual so contrived a way to eliminate himself from the entire Grand Prix. Poor form but expected.
DISHONOURABLE MENTIONS
YUKI TSUNODA – The curse of the second Red Bull car continues. Qualified last, started from pitlane, made no impression on the race. Only missed out on worst driver in the race because of Lance Stroll’s arrogance.
MAX VERSTAPPEN – Drove a decent race on a different strategy to the McLaren and gave them something to think about, until the Safety Car. Where he was put on hard tyres as they were the only ones left, nearly lost the car on the restart and then proceeded to lose his head after clashes with Charles Leclerc and George Russell. Verstappen was probably not at fault for the first two incidents, but he certainly was for the last one with George Russell, from which both were lucky to continue. The 10 second penalty dropped him from fifth to tenth and moves him one point off a one race ban because of points on his license.
LEWIS HAMILTON – Outqualified his team mate but that was the highlight. A race that got progressively worse, and more questionable radio comms. Finished behind Nico Hulkenberg which should tell you everything.
ALEX ALBON – Not a great weekend after just missing out on Q3. Was the first retirement of the race.
CARLOS SAINZ- Not a great home GP. Knocked out in Q1, drove in the lower midfield for no points.
KIMI ANTONELLI –Unlucky again with a DNF when a strong point finish was within reach. Still, another good weekend.
Was it a good race, loads of action, a tense ending, a surprise result or DNF, or just a big, fat, snooze-fest?
We rate the big race itself, so we know which races to go back and watch in the off season or one to simply remember the winner for the post season quiz nights.
PRE RACE ACTION (FP, QUAL, SPRINT, OFF TRACK etc) – 2 / 5
Not much action from reports and internet nerds, but the injury of Lance Stroll and withdrawal from the race but interesting and pure Stroll.
ON TRACK ACTION (RACE) – 3 / 10
Not much action, but at least the battle for the lead ensured it was tense enough if not action packed. Safety Car at the end livened things up.
ANY SURPRISES? – 2 / 5
Not really. McLaren is faster than Max Verstappen, who is faster than Charles Leclerc who is faster than George Russell and faster than their team mates. One bonus point for Nico Hulkenberg’s fifth place.
SEASON IMPORTANCE – 4 / 5
Every race is important for this season when the fastest car is so dominant, and the drivers are so close in race and qualifying. An off day for Max Verstappen slightly weakened his Championship aura.
ENDING – 4 / 5
The Safety Car was well timed, and did brought out some action at the end. Max Verstappen in the thick of it all, involved in scraps with Leclerc and Russell and being penalised for almost crashing when refusing to give back a place to George Russell.
OVERALL RATING – 15 / 30
A typical Spanish GP except for the rare Safety Car at the end which boosted these scores. We won’t missed Barcelona that’s for sure.
2025 F1 Season Race Ratings
R1 – Australian Grand Prix – 27/30
R2 – Chinese Grand Prix – 11/30
R3 – Japanese Grand Prix – 18/30
R4 – Bahrain Grand Prix – 19/30
R5 – Saudi Arabia Grand Prix – 17/30
R6 – Miami Grand Prix – 17/30
R7 – Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix – 20/30
R8 – Monaco Grand Prix – 21/30
2025 F1 Season Preview Gear
F1 2025 SEASON – THINGS TO LOOK FOR AND AVOID
F1 DONKEY AUSTRALIAN GP BOLD PREDICTIONS
2024 F1 Season Review Gear
Stay tuned for our Power Rankings from the race soon as it is currently being calculated and will be ready on Monday.
2024 F1 SEASON FULL RACE REPORT HISTORY
