Verstappen fends off Norris threat to win Spanish GP

Max Verstappen has won the Spanish Grand Prix, taking his seventh race victory of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

The Dutchman and his Red Bull squad were forced into a strategic battle against Lando Norris and McLaren, who had to settle for second place.

The gap between the pair at the line was just over two seconds, with Norris' late race charge not enough to move ahead of his rival.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton secured his first podium of the campaign in third place.

Opening stint

On the opening lap, George Russell made use of the slipstream from fourth on the grid to set himself on the racing line and swoop around the outside of Verstappen and Norris.

Running in second place, Verstappen was informed that an early race manoeuvre could be his best chance to take the lead.

Heeding the advice on lap three, the Dutchman sped around the outside of Russell through the opening corner and moved to the head of the pack.

Mercedes opted to call Russell into the pits at the end of lap 15, but a slow stop dented his strategy and put him under pressure from Carlos Sainz, who pitted on the same lap.

However, Sainz would soon lose a spot to Hamilton, who retook the position with a move through Turn 1.

At the head of the field, Verstappen peeled into the pits for a fresh set of Mediums on lap 17 while Norris opted to go deeper into the race, filtering back into fifth place.

Norris' pursuit

Norris then went into hunting mode and closed the gap to his rivals, first dispatching Sainz on lap 27 for fourth place.

Next up for the McLaren driver was Hamilton and he dispatched of the seven-time world champion on lap 32 to move himself back onto the podium.

Russell proved to be a much tougher customer for Norris as they battled side by side through the first sector, with the latter eventually sealing the position before going in pursuit of race-leader Verstappen.

Russell was the first of the front-runners to make a second stop on the following lap, switching to the Hard compound in tangent with Sainz - the Spaniard soon lost position to Hamilton a handful of laps later having swapped to the Soft tyre.

Verstappen made his final stop on lap 44, with Norris pitting three laps later, managing to just stay ahead of Russell on pit exit.

The run to the line

Hamilton moved onto the podium by making use of his Soft tyres to overtake Russell on lap 52.

Ahead, Norris continued to reel in Verstappen lap-by-lap before Verstappen was told to pick up his pace in response.

With the top three consisting of Verstappen, Norris and Hamilton, the second Mercedes of Russell was fourth on the road.

Leclerc and Sainz had to settle for fifth and sixth respectively, capping a disappointing event for the Italian outfit.

Sergio Perez endured another difficult race to cross the line eighth behind the McLaren of Oscar Piastri.

For the second consecutive race, both Alpine drivers finished in ninth and 10th, with Pierre Gasly leading team-mate Esteban Ocon.