Formula 1 - Spain GP: Double victory Red Bull! Verstappen triumphs at Leclerc drama

Max Verstappen's victory teeth stops. The Red Bull Pilot won at the Grand Prix of Spain ahead of teammate Sergio Perez and George Russell (Mercedes). Polesetter Charles Leclerc had to park his Ferrari prematurely due to engine problems.

• Spain-GP: The analysis
• Spain-GP: The tire strategy
• Highlight of the race: Russell-Verstappen duel
• TOP of the race: Valtteri Bottas
• Flop of the race: Ferrari
• Formula 1: The World Cup stand (after 5 of 22* races)

The two German pilots Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) and Mick Schumacher (Haas) missed the points as eleventh and twelve. Record world champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) fought his way back after an early crash and became fifth.

"Difficult beginning, good ending," Verstappen summarized his race: "The story with the DRS bothered, but in the end we did it and won it with our strategy."

After his 24th Formula 1 success, the fourth in the sixth race of the year, Red Bull Star Verstappen is six points ahead of Leclerc, whose home Grand Prix in Monaco is coming up next Sunday.

"It came out of nowhere," said Leclerc at Sky about his failure: "It just broke and I lost the complete performance. We have to find the problem." The loss of the World Cup leadership is therefore not that important to him. "I don't look at that," he shook his head and explained that he also left Barcelona with some positive thoughts.

Spain-GP: The analysis

Leclerc and Verstappen came from the spot at the start. For a short time it even looked as if the Dutch could attack the Ferrari, but ultimately the Monegasse threw the door inside and stayed in front.

Behind it was particularly good at Schumacher Boden. The Haas pilot benefited from a collision between team-mate Kevin Magnussen and Hamilton and slipped forward from his tenth star place to position six. However, the German could not hold the place. The Haas with the hot temperatures of Barcelona seemed to have too big problems.

At the top, Verstappen was able to follow Leclerc's pace. Although there was no direct attack on the leading, the RB pilot managed to move in the one-second DRS window-at least until the ninth round. When braking on curve four, Verstappen lost control of his rear and slide in the gravel. The Dutchman managed to return to the route, but he fell back to fourth place behind Russell and teammate Perez.

In the same place, Carlos Sainz was flown in the second Ferrari. The Spaniard was also able to continue the race, but he should no longer have to do with the fight for the podium.

While Verstappen was waved past Perez after his mishaps without a fight, the overtaking against Russell turned out to be much more difficult. To make matters worse, a malfunction of the DRS system hindered considerable progressing the Dutch. "We can't even get the shitty DRS up and running, incredible!" He sweared on the radio. So the Red Bull always came close to the British, but at first he did not find a way.

At half -time, the failure of leader Leclerc brought new wind into the race. With engine problems, the Monegasse had to park its Ferrari in round 28 and heralded a gripping fight for victory.

Since Verstappen did not pass Russell on the route, Red Bull immediately decided to leave Leclercs for an undercut to soft. The quick approach Perez ', who, unlike his team-mate, made short processes with the Mercedes pilot and took the lead after 31 rounds.

By switching to three pit stops, Russell finally torn the advantage of the track position. The Brit had nothing to oppose a shock on fresh softs - it had to let the Dutch go.

At Red Bull, in the last third of the racing, they even decided on a team order in favor of Verstappen. Perez was communicated via radio to leave the Dutch past. The latter followed the instructions and had his teammates grant - albeit with a little resentment. The Dutch ultimately did not take the victory, Perez made the RB double victory perfect. Russell finished third.

The top ten completed Sainz (4./Ferrari), Hamilton (5./Mercedes), Valtteri Bottas (6./ALFA Romeo), Esteban Ocon (7./Alpine), Lando Norris (8./Mclaren), Fernando Alonso (9./Alpine) and Yuki tsunoda (10./alphatauri).

Spain-GP: The tire strategy

Apart from Hamilton, which started on the medium, all other 19 drivers chose a start on the soft tire. In retrospect, Hamilton should use it, after all, his early collision ruined any chance of intervening in the fight for the podium.

From a strategic point of view, the duel between the two Red Bulls and Russell was particularly interesting. At Perez, a one -time strategy was first planned - probably to put Mercedes under pressure - but then decided to make a classic two -stopper.

Verstappen, on the other hand, covered the first stop in Russell and came to the same round, but no attack was achieved with the fresh tires. So Red Bull switched the Dutch on a short sprint on the soft tire and thus a three-stop strategy.

Especially towards the end, this turned out to be the right decision. Russell could no longer follow the pace of Verstappen and fell behind the Red Bull.

Highlight of the race: Russell-Verstappen duel

A duel between a Red Bull and a Mercedes in 2022? And then at eye level? Yes, that really exists. Favored by the DRS problems of Verstappen, Russell managed to keep the Dutch in chess in a comparatively long time.

So the spectators were able to enjoy some narrow bike bike fights. The highlight then certainly the 24th round when Verstappen seemed to be past the British before he countered in an outstanding manner and defended his place.

TOP of the race: Valtteri Bottas

The Finn presented itself inconspicuously but incredibly strong on the Circuit de Catalunya. Bottas confidently drove down his boot in the shadow of the big three teams and clearly distanced the Alfa competition around Alpine, McLaren, Haas and Alphatauri. Also strong: an extremely loyal Sergio Perez and Fighter Lewis Hamilton.

Flop of the race: Ferrari

A black weekend for the Italians. While Sainz catapulted himself out of the race for victory with an early ride into the gravel bed, engine problems thwarted at Leclerc. Too bad, after all, the Monegasse still looked as a safe winner at halftime.

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Formula 1: The World Cup stand (after 5 of 22* races)

* Driver rating:

Square	Driver	Team	Points
1	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	110
2	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	104
3	Sergio Perez	Red Bull	85
4	George Russell	Mercedes	74
5	Carlos Sainz	Ferrari	65
6	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes	46
7	Lando Norris	McLaren	39
8	Valtteri Bottas	Alfa Romeo	38
9	Esteban Ocon	Alpine	30
10	Kevin Magnussen	Alfa Romeo	15

* Constructor evaluation:

Square	Team	Points
1	Red Bull	195
2	Ferrari	169
3	Mercedes	120
4	McLaren	50
5	Alfa Romeo	39
6	Alpine	34
7	Alphatauri	17
8	Haas	15
9	Aston Martin	6

10 | Williams | 3

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_*The Russia GP was deleted without replacement due to the Russian attack war against Ukraine. Formula 1 originally planned for the 2022 season.