Oscar Piastri Wins Chaotic 2025 Spanish Grand Prix as Verstappen Penalized After Collision

The 2025 Formula 1 season took a dramatic turn at the Spanish Grand Prix as Oscar Piastri claimed his fifth victory of the year, leading a dominant McLaren 1-2 finish ahead of teammate Lando Norris. However, it was the controversial end to the Spanish GP to Max Verstappen’s race that stole headlines after the Red Bull driver received a 10-second penalty for a late collision with Mercedes’ George Russell.

The race, already buzzing with strategy wars between two and three-stop approaches, flipped upside down in the final laps after a safety car, triggered by Kimi Antonelli’s engine failure, bunched up the field and left Max Verstappen vulnerable on hard tyres. With no softer compounds left, Red Bull’s gamble backfired spectacularly.

Max Verstappen, who had been on pace for a podium, fell into the crosshairs of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell after the restart at the Spanish GP. A wobble coming out of the final corner allowed Charles Leclerc to get alongside, with minor contact occurring but drawing no penalty. The real drama unfolded when George Russell lunged down the inside at Turn One, made contact, and Max Verstappen briefly retained the position after cutting the escape road.

Ordered by his race engineer Giampiero Lambiase to give the position back, Max Verstappen complied—but not for long. In a shocking move at Turn Four, Max Verstappen suddenly accelerated into George Russell’s path while appearing to leave space on the inside. The stewards deemed the collision avoidable and “undoubtedly caused by [Verstappen],” resulting in a 10-second penalty and three penalty points on his Super Licence. With 11 points now, Verstappen sits just one away from a one-race ban.

Crossing the line in fifth but classified 10th after the penalty, Max Verstappen’s title defence continues to unravel. He now trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 49 points as the Australian driver extends his dominance in the 2025 standings.

McLaren’s strategic brilliance and calm execution stood in stark contrast to Red Bull’s missteps. Oscar Piastri, who had held off Max Verstappen’s early pressure at the Spanish GP, benefited from consistent pace and precise pit stops. Norris, despite a poor start, recovered to secure second, marking a powerful 1-2 finish that cements McLaren as the team to beat.

 

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Further down the order, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc completed the podium with a composed drive. Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg stunned by passing Lewis Hamilton’s struggling Ferrari for fifth after the restart. Lewis Hamilton, visibly frustrated post-race, called it his “worst race, balance-wise,” with team boss Frederic Vasseur confirming an unresolved issue hampered the car.

Alonso finally scored his first points of the season for Aston Martin, climbing to ninth after an early off-track excursion, while Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar impressed with a strong seventh-place finish.

As the F1 grid heads into the next round, questions loom over Verstappen’s aggressive tactics, Red Bull’s strategic missteps, and whether Piastri can continue his championship march unchallenged.