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Kimi Antonelli took advantage of a poor break for Lando Norris to win the Spanish Grand Prix in Formula One’s return to Madrid on Sunday, extending his lead in the drivers’ standings.
It was the second win in a row for Antonelli, the young Mercedes driver who won his home race at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend.
“Lucky virtual safety car, but I feel a little sorry for Lando,” Antonelli said on the radio after the race. “Really strong race, strong weekend, let’s keep fighting.”
Antonelli was second at the new Madring circuit in the Spanish capital, but pole-sitter Norris relinquished his lead after failing to pit when the virtual safety car was deployed. He had already passed the pit lane entrance and was forced to pit on the next lap due to a questionable strategic decision by McLaren that dropped him several positions.
“Winning is good, but it’s not so nice because I think Lando deserved to win today,” Antonelli said. “But overall, you know, we’ll take it.”
Norris finished third behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. He said he was “insanely unlucky” with the safety car.
“I was the only one who didn’t make a pit stop there. Of course, I feel like I deserve more,” Norris said. “I couldn’t do anything. Congratulations to Kimi and Max, they had a good race today. Luck is just not on our side. A tough race that just got away from us.”
Charles Leclerc, who led most of the race after deciding not to pit when the virtual safety car was deployed, finished fourth after having to change tires late.
Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton lasted just seven laps after reporting a brake problem and retiring. The seven-time world champion also had a tough time last weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, finishing sixth after an early clash with Leclerc.
The Spanish Grand Prix returned to Madrid for the first time in 45 years. The last time it took place on the Jarama highway on the outskirts of the capital was in 1981.
It was the eighth race win this season for Antonelli, who now leads teammate George Russell by 81 points with nine races remaining. Russell finished fifth on Sunday.
The start of the race became significant as the new track offered few overtaking opportunities and Antonelli was able to challenge Norris into the first corner. He overtook the McLaren driver after cutting a corner to avoid a collision, but had to retake the position.
Verstappen also had to give up position to Lewis Hamilton after he gained an advantage when leaving the track shortly after the start.
Virtual Safety Car changes fate
The race changed on lap 15 when the virtual safety car was deployed after Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin stopped on track with a brake problem.
Norris missed the opportunity to move under the safety car, and Antonelli took advantage of this to stop and pull out in front of the McLaren. Leclerc stayed back and came out on top with a different strategy.
Norris pitted a lap later when virtual safety ended, so he lost more time and rejoined the track in fifth position. He also lost time because his stop was slower than usual due to a problem with his right front tire.
Because the hard tires held up well, the drivers in front did not have to pit again, and Leclerc had to make his required stop late, giving up the lead.
Spaniards fight early
The home Grand Prix was an unforgettable experience for local racers.
The only two Spaniards on the grid, Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz, started from behind and touched each other early in the race.
“He pinned me against the wall,” Alonso said. “(At) the start he crashed into two people, now when he broke, he pressed me into the wall.”
Sainz also clashed with other drivers after an aggressive start in his home race. He received a five-second penalty for the incident with Alonso and eventually retired due to a car problem.
Spanish King Felipe VI was among those who attended the race in the Spanish capital.
Organizers expected total attendance over the weekend to be around 350,000 spectators.
Pre-race protests
A few hours before the start, several hundred residents of the northern areas of Madrid protested against the resumption of the race.
Many of them wore bright yellow T-shirts and carried signs reading “Stop Formula 1 in Madrid.”
The event received widespread local support, but some residents complained about noise from cars, road closures and the environmental impact of the race, which is contracted to take place in the Spanish capital for 10 years.