The way Hamilton and Russell spoke, along with team boss Toto Wolff, you could be forgiven for thinking this race was a close-run thing, but Red Bull boss Christian Horner was quick to remind Sky Sports F1 when interviewed post-race of Max’s 23-second margin over Lewis.
As you might expect, Verstappen gave a fairly clinical explanation for his latest victory.
“I think it was important of course to try and keep the lead into Turn 1. I know it was quite tight [with Carlos Sainz], but actually we had a good start,” Verstappen said.
“Then, from there onwards, we just tried to manage the pace on the medium tyre. I knew everyone behind me was mainly on the soft. I think especially the last laps of that stint I could really create a big gap.”
In addition to becoming one of the best to ever drive a formula one car, Verstappen’s awareness for the technical aspects of racing, as well as his intelligence in analysing races, is something only a few possess.
“I’m happy in the car and I think the last few weekends have been definitely a lot more positive for me. This is one weekend where I think it went really well, but we also know that maybe at some other tracks it’s not like this.
“There’s still a lot of races to come where we again have to perform really well to try and win the race.”
He claimed that he would welcome more fights with Mercedes, his archrivals, when he controversially secured his first world title at Abu Dhabi in 2021.
“Yeah, I think it’s great for the sport in general, right, if you have more teams fighting up front. Honestly, that would be amazing, to have more drivers really up there. Hopefully, throughout the year it will get closer and maybe next year there are more teams really up there.”
For much of his year it has been Fernando Alonso in the Aston Martin who has been Red Bull’s main rival, but despite this being his home race, the Aston Martin didn’t really fire in Spain.
Alonso admitted to making a mistake in qualifying, only getting to ninth place on the grid, which became eighth when Pierre Gasly was given two separate penalties for impeding other drivers during qualifying. Alonso’s teammate Lance Stroll out-qualified him for the first time this season, and they would finish sixth and seventh respectively in the race, losing second place in the Constructor’s championship to Mercedes.
Just as the challenge from Aston Martin didn’t materialise, nor did the expected challenge from Ferrari, despite Carlos Sainz starting second on the grid. He eventually finished fifth, while his teammate Charles Leclerc had a shocking qualifying, failing to get out of Q1, and eventually starting the race from pitlane after taking a penalty for making changes to the car before the race.
He finished out of the points in 11th place. McLaren driver Lando Norris started from third place on the grid, but damaged his front wing on the opening lap, and thereafter couldn’t find the pace that put him on row two of the grid, crossing the finish line in 17th spot.
While the race was all about Verstappen’s dominance, and partly about the recovery dive from his teammate Sergio Perez, who only qualified 11th but finished fourth, the media focus was on the performance of the Mercedes cars.
“What a result for our team,” a beaming Hamilton told Sky Sports interviewer Nico Rosberg, his former Mercedes teammate, with whom he had an acrimonious relationship. “We definitely didn’t expect to have this result today, and a big, big thank you to everyone back at the factory who are continuing to push and bringing us closer to the [Red] Bulls,” Hamilton proclaimed.
“This is what we were hoping for when we brought the upgrades. George did a really good job today, so we delivered good points as a whole. We’ve just got to try to keep this up. For us to be quicker than the Ferraris and the Astons today was really mega.
“As you know from our time [together] we were really good at grinding.”
“A sign of things to come hopefully,” Russell added. “It definitely feels better, just putting in those laps and comparing with the other guys, Aston and Ferrari, we’re just quicker and quicker and quicker. Really pleased to be on the podium.”
Some will argue, including Horner, that Russell was lucky to be on the podium. During qualifying, he and Hamilton came together down the main straight, and it looked like Russell had impeded Hamilton. But the stewards never even looked at it.
In the race itself, Russell made a great start, getting past Perez, but when he got to the first corner, he bailed out, going off the track, and around the bollards, and actually gained places as he rejoined. Normally there is a penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, but not with the stewards in Spain, who didn’t look into that incident either.
Clearly miffed by that, Horner believes the failure to take any action against Russell, cost Perez a podium.
“George managed to get away, running off track, getting on track, not getting any penalty from that and I think that was the difference at the end of the day and you know, Checo, his race was getting stronger and stronger,” Horner explained.
“That last stint in particular, he was really coming back very strong, but just not enough laps to fight for the podium.”
Rosberg though, didn’t agree that Perez had a good race, when questioning Horner.
“Christian, you were just saying he did a good race, but I thought he had quite a lack of performance, especially in the early part of the race. Isn’t that true? I mean, really comparing to Max there were some laps where it was quite a gap.”
“You’re quite a critical kind of guy, though, aren’t you?” retorted Horner.
“You’re tough on these guys, you know, you’re happy to criticise all the guys.”
Horner then went on to put some perspective into the potential Mercedes challenge to the Red Bulls.
“Well, it was still 23 seconds behind at the end of the race!” Horner noted.
“They made a good step, but we’ve got some stuff in the pipeline, they’ve had a big upgrade, we’ve still got bits coming later in the season. But for sure, a big step, they’re a quality team and for sure they’re going to be putting us under pressure in the second half of the year.”
Horner may not yet see the Mercedes as a threat, but Alonso does.
“They are fast, they are a concern for us. They have been all year long,” Alonso said.
“They have very consistent drivers as well. Ferrari has a very fast car, but they seem to score only with one car or have trouble in the race - but Mercedes is always there, so they are a very tough competitor. We didn’t have the pace. Let’s see and try to get better for Canada.”
The only one seemingly not worried about anyone is Verstappen, who has built up a handy 53-point lead over Perez in the championship and will know that even if Mercedes are on the move upwards, reducing a 23-second race deficit will be a tall order, especially if Verstappen is giving it the maximum, as he appeared to be doing seamlessly in Barcelona. Having received a black and white flag for exceeding track limits three times, when Max asked his race engineer, Gianpero Lambiase, about fastest lap, the reply was:
“We cannot afford any [risks]. Don’t worry about it.”
Verstappen’s response was to set the fastest lap on the next lap.
“Bring it home - within the white lines now,” Lambiase added.
“Yeah, yeah,” was Max’s reply. Defiant, even arrogant, you might think. But undeniably confident and taking it to the max, as always.
Sources: F1.com; Sky Sports F1