The Formula 1 circus delivered a scorching spectacle at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, with Oscar Piastri claiming a commanding victory in a race brimming with drama, overtakes, and a hint of controversy.
The McLaren driver executed a flawless weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, sealing his fifth win of the season and extending his championship lead as rivals faltered behind him.
McLaren Lockout on Saturday, Dominance on Sunday
Qualifying set the tone for McLaren’s weekend, with Piastri taking pole position by two-tenths over teammate Lando Norris, locking out the front row in style. Max Verstappen and George Russell completed the second row, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc loomed as dark horses just behind.
Kiwi Liam Lawson delivered a solid qualifying performance, edging out teammate Isack Hadjar in Q1, but ultimately fell short of Q3 by just over two-tenths, settling for 13th on the grid. Hadjar, however, surged in Q2 to qualify an impressive 9th.
The session had its share of misfortune, too—Yuki Tsunoda struggled badly and qualified last, while Lance Stroll withdrew from the event due to lingering wrist pain, reducing the field to 19 cars.
Piastri Gets Away Clean as Opening Drama Unfolds
Under a bright Catalan sun and 27°C ambient temperature, Piastri launched cleanly off the line while Norris was beaten into Turn 1 by Verstappen, who muscled his way into second.
Early on, the Ferraris slotted into fourth and fifth, with Hamilton visibly struggling for rear-end grip. By Lap 10, Leclerc was let through by team orders to chase down the leading trio.
Just a few laps later, Norris got the better of Verstappen to restore McLaren’s 1-2, prompting the Dutchman to pit early and rejoin in eighth, 4.2 seconds ahead of a charging Liam Lawson.
The Kiwi had already dispatched Gabriel Bortoleto and gained another position when Fernando Alonso skated off into the gravel, promoting him into the top ten.
Lawson Fights Hard as Strategy Takes Center Stage
Lawson’s first pit stop came on Lap 19, rejoining 16th as the pit cycles unfolded. Both McLarens stopped shortly after, Piastri retaining the net lead over Norris, both now trailing Verstappen on older tyres but with significantly better pace.
Lawson continued to scrap his way up the order. In a thrilling sequence, he attacked Alex Albon at Turn 1 with a brave move up the inside.
Albon ran wide and held the position via the escape road, only for the roles to reverse a lap later, this time Albon understeering into Lawson, damaging his own front wing.
Albon was eventually handed a 10-second penalty and retired shortly after, but not before briefly returning to the track to serve his penalty and avoid a carryover to Canada.
Verstappen made his second stop on Lap 30 for fresh mediums, slotting back into fourth behind Leclerc. But his pace was ominous; within six laps, he had hunted down and passed Leclerc to reclaim third and begin his pursuit of the McLaren pair.
Lawson vs. Bearman: A Gritty Battle
Back in the midfield, Lawson engaged in a fiery battle with Oliver Bearman. An ambitious lunge at Turn 1 saw contact, with Lawson wisely backing off to allow Bearman to recover his position.
Moments later, Bearman ran wide at Turn 2 and rejoined ahead; Race Control watched closely as Bearman gave the place back a few corners later to avoid a penalty.
Just when the field was settling into its rhythm, chaos erupted.
Lap 60 saw Kimi Antonelli’s car expire in a plume of smoke, beached in the gravel with an apparent power unit failure. The Safety Car was deployed, offering one final twist.
The leaders dove into the pits for a late dash on new softs—except Verstappen, who only had hards left. Lawson, Ocon, and Bortoleto also stayed out, opting not to pit and gambling on track position over tyre advantage.
A flurry of lapped cars, including Lawson, were waved through to unlap themselves and rejoin the lead lap, setting the stage for a six-lap sprint.
A Chaotic Restart: Verstappen Cracks Under Pressure
At the restart, Verstappen’s rear stepped out, exiting the final corner, costing him momentum and allowing Leclerc to slip past. As Russell closed in, light contact sent Verstappen into the escape road.
In the aftermath, Verstappen was ordered to yield to Russell, but in a bizarre sequence, he briefly let the Mercedes by before barging back ahead with light contact—only to relent again three corners later.
Race Control did not take kindly to the maneuver. Post-race, Verstappen was slapped with a time penalty, dropping him from fourth to tenth, a brutal blow in the title hunt, costing him 24 points to the victorious Piastri.
Piastri Cruises to Glory, Lawson Just Misses Out
Up front, Piastri was untouchable. While the chaos played out behind, the Aussie calmly stretched his legs and claimed a dominant win, his fifth of the season and eighth consecutive podium. Piastri also set the fastest lap of the race.
Norris completed a McLaren 1-2 for the second time this year, while Leclerc’s opportunistic drive netted him a second straight podium in third.
Russell inherited fourth after Verstappen’s demotion, while Nico Hülkenberg stunned the paddock by charging to fifth in the closing laps on fresh tyres, his best result since 2019.
Hadjar brought his car home in seventh for his fourth straight points finish, while Pierre Gasly and Alonso rounded out the scorers. For the Spaniard, it was his first points finish of 2025, finally benefitting from recent upgrades and a bit of homesoil fortune.
As for Lawson, the Safety Car proved ill-timed. With worn rubber and unable to pit, the Kiwi fell from a net points position to 11th by the flag, agonisingly close to another top-ten result.
He finished ahead of Bortoleto and Tsunoda, the latter starting from the pit lane after major overnight setup changes that yielded little.
Championship Implications
With Verstappen penalised and Piastri surging, the championship battle takes a dramatic turn. Piastri now holds a commanding lead, with Norris in strong form as well. Verstappen faces a steep climb if he’s to claw back into the title fight.
And for Lawson, the performance was once again strong, even if the result didn’t reflect it. His aggressive racecraft, maturity in wheel-to-wheel moments, and race pace continue to turn heads. With a bit more luck, the points will surely come.
Next Stop: Canada
After a massive European triple-header, Formula 1 takes a week break before heading across the Atlantic to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix, another high-speed challenge and a chance for redemption for many, especially Verstappen. But the spotlight remains on Piastri, who looks increasingly like the driver to beat in 2025.
Header Image: Andy Hone/LAT Images via Red Bull Content Pool
