It was another weekend to remember for Lewis Hamilton, with the Italian media lavishing praise on the Brit and his Mercedes team for their performance in Spain. The 36-year-old continued to add to his impressive career tally, first taking his 100th pole on Saturday and then crossing the line for his 98th victory. As a result La Gazzetta dello Sport believe Hamilton remains the King of Spain. "Max Verstappen fought in Spain with his heart and soul, but in the end it was Hamilton who managed to win for the sixth time in Spain and thus remains the King of Spain," the Italian outlet proclaimed. "The heart and soul of Verstappen couldn't compete with Hamilton 's Mercedes. The Brit won the race in Barcelona more so because of the car and the strategy than by himself, even though he drove an incredibly fast lap on Saturday which earned him pole. "This year's championship is between two giants, that has become clear in recent weeks. The battle has so far been decided in favour of Hamilton, who took a 3-1 lead in the battle with Verstappen. That's partly because of his excellent pace and partly because Mercedes has managed to quickly make progress with its 2021 car after Bahrain. As a result it was clear early in the race that there was no real battle between Mercedes and Red Bull on the Barcelona circuit. Verstappen also quickly realised that there was no chance against Mercedes on Sunday." The Corriere dello Sport believe Mercedes now have the strongest car in the field, though strategy played a big role in Sunday's victory. "After the 100th pole, the 100th victory is now also in sight for Hamilton," wrote the Corriere. "In Spain the Brit drove well, but it was above all a victory for the whole team. Mercedes' strategy was excellent and everything worked out perfectly for the Germans. Red Bull therefore had no chance of winning in Barcelona, because whatever they would have done Hamilton would have won the race." La Stampa were also fans of the race in Spain. They think it will be hard for Verstappen to snatch the championship given he isn't getting much help from Sergio Perez at this time. "The spectacle delivered in Barcelona lived up to expectations," La Stampa wrote. "Hamilton and Verstappen showed on Sunday that they are doing everything that they can to win the title this year. Nevertheless, Mercedes showed that they are a bit better than Red Bull in every way and therefore they could even make an second pit stop with Hamilton. However, that strategy worked out perfectly because Verstappen does not have a teammate who is up front." The Corriere della Sera agrees, pointing out that Mercedes have a much more settled situation with Valtteri Bottas in the fold. "It seems that the second drivers will play a major role this year and Mercedes are better organised in that department," the Corriere della Sera wrote. "The Dutchman has no one who can give him cover, while Hamilton does. Verstappen will therefore have to take every opportunity to snatch points away from Hamilton, starting with Monaco."
Most read
