Oscar Piastri delivered a dominant performance to win the 2025 Spanish GP, leading a McLaren 1-2 finish ahead of teammate Lando Norris.
Chaos and Drama Define the 2025 Spanish GP as Piastri Opens Ten-Point Title Gap
Starting from pole, Oscar Piastri maintained control throughout the race, despite a late safety car period triggered by Kimi Antonelli’s car failure. Charles Leclerc secured third place for Ferrari, while Max Verstappen faced challenges, including tyre issues and contact with George Russell and Leclerc, ultimately finishing fifth behind Russell at the 2025 Spanish GP.
Drama in the closing stages of the race! 😱
Max Verstappen drops to P10 following a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with George Russell #F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/anhkyJ92pk
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 1, 2025
Friday FP1: Norris Leads the Way
Lando Norris picked up exactly where he left off in Monaco, topping the timesheets in Friday’s opening practice session at the 2025 Spanish GP. The McLaren driver, fresh from a win in Monte Carlo, carried his momentum into Barcelona, finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
With a new Technical Directive regarding front wing load testing, teams wasted no time getting to work. Most cars were quickly out on track, primarily running the hard C1 compound, one of the three hardest Pirelli tyres selected for this weekend.
Norris set the initial benchmark, clocking a 1:15.259s lap to go 0.221s clear of home hero Fernando Alonso, who claimed his last F1 victory at this venue in 2013.
As data gathering continued and drivers worked through their run plans, the times changed. George Russell, one of the first to switch to the medium C2s, settled at the top midway through with a lap time of 1:14.751.
Soon after, soft C3 tyres made their first appearance, with Nico Hülkenberg leading the charge. Verstappen took full advantage and briefly went quickest, until Norris responded. His 1:13.718s lap was three-tenths clear of the Red Bull, asserting McLaren’s strength in the opening session.
As the chequered flag waved, it was Norris who remained on top, followed by Verstappen and Hamilton. Leclerc slotted into fourth, with Oscar Piastri rounding out the top five on a weekend where the Australian aimed to consolidate his position atop the Drivers’ Championship.
Lawson, Bearman, Hadjar, Yuki Tsunoda, and Pierre Gasly completed the top 10, while Russell missed out in P11. Stroll, Alonso, Hülkenberg, and Carlos Sainz filled out the mid-pack.
Gabriel Bortoleto set the 16th best time for Kick Sauber, with Ryo Hirakawa, Kimi Antonelli, debutant Victor Martins, and Franco Colapinto rounding out the order.
Friday FP2: Through Goes Piastri
Piastri ended a strong Friday for McLaren by going fastest in FP2 at the 2025 Spanish GP. The championship leader delivered a 1:12.760s lap, putting him nearly three-tenths clear of Russell and ahead of Verstappen.
Norris initially picked up where he left off, setting the early pace. However, a moment of drama came courtesy of Bearman. The Briton spun through the gravel at Turn 3 but managed to keep his Haas out of the barriers. The incident forced a lengthy stay in the garage, limiting his track time for the rest of the hour.
Further frustration unfolded for Hadjar, who found himself caught in traffic. Colapinto was noted by the stewards for potentially impeding the Racing Bulls driver, though no further action followed. Alonso also voiced his displeasure after Hamilton hindered one of his flying laps.
Russell jumped to the top with a lap time of 1:13.046s. However, Piastri made his way to the top with a 1:12.760s, laying down a benchmark that would remain unbeaten as the focus shifted to longer runs in the closing stages.
Piastri remained on top, ahead of Russell and Verstappen. Norris, despite matching Verstappen’s time, slotted into fourth as he set his lap later. Leclerc rounded out the top five.
Antonelli impressed once again in sixth, with Alonso close behind in seventh. Gasly continued his solid form with eighth for Alpine, followed by Hadjar and Lawson in ninth and tenth, respectively. Hamilton had to settle for 11th, ahead of Hülkenberg. Tsunoda, Sainz, and Albon filled the 13th to 15th spots. Stroll, Bortoleto, Ocon, Bearman, and Colapinto completed the order.
READ MORE: McLaren Head to Spanish Grand Prix Chasing Consistency
Saturday FP3: Piastri Takes Control
Piastri topped FP3 at the 2025 Spanish GP, outpacing teammate Norris by over half a second and leaving Leclerc’s Ferrari a distant third. The result further cemented McLaren’s status as the team to beat in Barcelona.
The session began slowly, with Colapinto the first to venture onto the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Keen to make up for time lost to a hydraulic issue in FP1, the Argentine rookie continued his learning process in the Alpine.
With track temperatures slightly cooler than on Friday, Tsunoda briefly went quickest on medium tyres with a 1:14.851s, only for Norris to better the Red Bull’s time by three-tenths moments later.
The final 15 minutes saw attention shift to Qualifying simulations. Norris looked set to challenge for top spot until a snap of oversteer at Turn 9 forced him wide and onto the run-off.
Piastri, by contrast, delivered a clean lap to post the fastest time of the weekend so far, a 1:12.387s that left the rest trailing. Norris wound up 0.526s adrift, while Leclerc completed the top three, albeit nearly three-quarters of a second off the pace.
Russell slotted into fourth, just ahead of Verstappen, who made a final push in the closing minutes but could only manage fifth. Hadjar continued to impress with sixth, ahead of Antonelli and Alonso in eighth. Hamilton, still appearing to search for pace, ended the session ninth. Lawson completed the top ten for Racing Bulls.
Saturday Qualifying: Piastri on Pole
Q1
Qualifying began at the 2025 Spanish GP, where Piastri wasted no time reaffirming McLaren’s dominance, topping the timesheets with a 1:12.551s, two-tenths clear of Verstappen, with Norris behind in third.
At the other end, a tense battle began for a Q2 spot. Hülkenberg, Ocon, Sainz, Tsunoda, and Bortoleto all found themselves in the drop zone after initial runs. And though Bortoleto, Lawson, Bearman, and Stroll all improved late on, it was not enough for others.
OUT: Hülkenberg (P16), Ocon (P17), Sainz (P18), Colapinto (P19), Tsunoda (P20)
Q2
Q2 resumed at pace, with drivers eager to get an early lap time on the board. Verstappen was first to set the benchmark, but Norris quickly topped his time before Piastri responded with a 1:11.998s to take top spot once again. The Australian edged out his teammate by just under six hundredths
The fight for the remaining top-10 slots was fierce. Bortoleto, Lawson, Albon, Bearman, and Stroll found themselves at risk as the minutes ticked down.
Russell sat comfortably in P4, offering to tow teammate Antonelli in a show of team unity, though the Briton did not head back out. Others did, and Hadjar made the most of it, climbing to an impressive P6 to secure his place in Q3.
OUT: Albon (P11), Bortoleto (P12), Lawson (P13), Stroll (P14), Bearman (P15).
Q3
With the final shootout underway, it was McLaren versus the field. Piastri struck first with a 1:11.836s, but that was not enough for provisional pole. Norris, on a tidy run and aided by a tow from his teammate into the final corner, posted a 1:11.819s to briefly snatch top spot.
While Alonso set his flying lap early, others waited until the final moments of Q3 to make their final attempts. It was Piastri who delivered when it mattered most. The Australian found time in every sector to record a time of 1:11.546s, reclaiming pole by over two-tenths.
Norris could not improve on his final lap, ending 0.209s down after an untidy run. Verstappen and Russell posted identical lap times, but the Red Bull driver claimed P3 for setting his lap first. Hamilton took fifth, followed by Antonelli, Leclerc, Gasly, Hadjar, and Alonso.
Top 10: Piastri (P1), Norris (P2), Verstappen (P3), Russell (P4), Hamilton (P5), Antonelli (P6), Leclerc (P7), Gasly (P8), Hadjar (P9), Alonso (P10).
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 2025 F2 Spanish GP: Lindblad and Verschoor Share Victory in Barcelona
Sunday Race: Piastri Dominates to Extend His Championship Lead
PIASTRI WINS IN SPAIN!! 👏👏
He secures the victory in dominant fashion! 💪#F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/ghuaB76CmD
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 1, 2025
A Good Start
Piastri made a good start from pole, retaining the lead into Turn 1 with minimal pressure. Behind him, Norris did not get away as cleanly and was immediately under threat from Verstappen, who snatched second place at the opening corner.
Leclerc applied early pressure on teammate Hamilton, who was clearly struggling for pace. On lap nine, Ferrari instructed Hamilton to let Leclerc by, an order he obeyed the following lap at Turn 1.
As Leclerc surged forward, Norris began closing in on Verstappen, who was already voicing concerns about tyre grip over team radio. The Briton did not hesitate when the opportunity presented itself, executing a clean move down the inside of Turn 1 on lap 13 to reclaim second place. Meanwhile, Piastri continued to stretch his lead out front.
Strategy and Chaos
Verstappen was the first of the frontrunners to pit on lap 14 for a second set of soft tyres. Hamilton switched to mediums three laps later, while Leclerc followed suit on lap 18, maintaining track position over his teammate.
McLaren timed their stops slightly later. Norris came in on lap 22, rejoining behind Verstappen. Piastri followed, also dropping behind the Red Bull. However, both McLarens were now on the medium tyre, giving them a strategic edge in the second stint.
Elsewhere, drama unfolded between Lawson and Albon. Contact during their wheel-to-wheel battle left Albon with more front wing damage, having already sustained issues on lap one. He was later handed a 10-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, served before ultimately retiring the Williams.
Sprint to the Flag
Just as the front-runners settled into their final stints, drama struck on lap 55. Antonelli ground to a halt in the gravel with a power unit failure, prompting a safety car. A flurry of pit stops followed, with Red Bull opting to put Verstappen on hard tyres, a decision that left the Dutchman baffled.
At the restart on lap 61, Verstappen struggled for traction and immediately came under pressure. Leclerc capitalised, moving up to third as Verstappen slipped back. Then, the Red Bull driver appeared to misjudge letting Russell by, having previously overtaken him off-track, and the pair made contact
Already seething about the hard tyre call and the timing of team orders, Verstappen erupted over team radio. His frustration was compounded when the stewards handed him a 10-second time penalty for the incident, dropping him from fifth to tenth post-race.
Out front, Piastri remained calm and composed. The Australian crossed the line to claim his fifth win of the season, with Norris following him home to seal a McLaren 1-2.
Leclerc completed the podium, continuing his consistent form for Ferrari. Russell was classified fourth, while Hülkenberg pulled off an impressive final stint to be promoted to fifth following Verstappen’s penalty.
Hamilton settled for sixth, ahead of Hadjar. Gasly crossed the line eighth, with Alonso securing his first points of the season in ninth. Verstappen’s troubled race left him tenth and furious, while Piastri celebrated another major step in his title bid.
READ NEXT: Verstappen: Red Bull “Not Fast Enough” to Match McLaren in Spain
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / ANP
Recording Date: 01.06.2025
