Фото:Depositphotos

Formula 1 took to the brand-new semi-street circuit in Madrid for a race that ultimately turned on one crucial strategic decision.

From the opening laps, pole-sitter Lando Norris appeared to have everything under control. The McLaren driver immediately began building a gap at the front as his rivals battled fiercely behind him. However, the complexion of the race changed dramatically when Lance Stroll, one of the outsiders, retired roughly a quarter of the way through the event.

The incident triggered a Virtual Safety Car period, giving much of the field an opportunity to make relatively cheap pit stops and change tyres. McLaren, however, made the crucial call to bring Norris into the pits just as the Virtual Safety Car period was coming to an end.

That decision proved costly. Overtaking around the Madrid circuit was almost as difficult as it is in Monaco, leaving Norris with little opportunity to recover the time lost in the pits. He eventually crossed the finish line in third, despite a late attempt to challenge Max Verstappen. The McLaren driver simply could not find a way past the Red Bull star in the closing laps.

While Norris was left to rue what might have been, the victory went to championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes driver produced a composed and remarkably straightforward performance, bringing the car home without having to take any major risks once the race settled down.

Spanish Grand Prix – Top 10
1. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Liam Lawson (Red Bull)
7. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
9. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)