Kimi Antonelli secured another victory at the Spanish Grand Prix, Formula 1's first race at the Madring circuit. The Mercedes driver capitalized on McLaren's strategic error with Lando Norris, who had been leading the race.
Norris, starting from pole, initially pulled away comfortably. However, a virtual safety car (VSC) intervention changed everything. When the VSC was deployed, Norris pitted just as the period ended, a decision that cost him significant time and track position.
Chaotic Start
The start was messy. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton opted for soft tyres, unlike Norris and Antonelli on mediums. Hamilton had a better launch but ran out of space at Turn 1. Antonelli and Verstappen cut Turn 2, but Antonelli immediately gave the position back to Norris, while Verstappen stayed ahead of Hamilton.
Verstappen argued he had to avoid Hamilton's aggressive driving. Red Bull instructed him to avoid a penalty, so Verstappen let Antonelli and Hamilton by on lap four. Seconds later, Hamilton complained of brake issues, lost pace, and retired on lap six.
By lap 10, Norris led Antonelli by five seconds, Verstappen by 11s, Charles Leclerc by 13s, and George Russell by 15s. Liam Lawson led the midfield, a further 15 seconds back.
McLaren's Strategic Blunder
Brake problems also struck Lance Stroll on lap 13, forcing him out and triggering a VSC. Antonelli, Verstappen, and Russell pitted immediately. But Norris and Leclerc stayed out. When the VSC ended, Norris was called in. A slow stop dropped him to fifth, 16 seconds behind Leclerc and 14 seconds behind Antonelli.
Antonelli caught Leclerc on lap 18 but didn't attack. He began losing pace on lap 21 due to steering issues. "I didn't touch the wall, but the steering feels weird," Antonelli told his team. By lap 25, he was over three seconds adrift.
Russell, who started on hards, made a second pit stop on lap 28 of 57 to switch back to mediums. He took fifth from Lawson on lap 35 with an around-the-outside move but was unconvinced by his strategy. "Why did we pit? I think we could have stayed out," he complained.
This victory is Antonelli's eighth of the season, strengthening his championship lead. Meanwhile, Norris had to settle for a finish outside the podium after the strategic misstep.
Baca Juga
Andrea Kimi Antonelli memenangi GP Spanyol 2026 di Sirkuit Madring setelah memanfaatkan VSC. Verstappen kedua, Norris ketiga. Simak berita lengkapnya.
Mercedes melewati 500 poin di klasemen konstruktor F1 2026 setelah GP Spanyol, sementara Ferrari menyerah dengan jarak hampir 150 poin. Duel Racing Bulls vs Alpine dan Audi vs Haas masih panas.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli memenangi GP Spanyol 2026 dan memperlebar keunggulan menjadi 81 poin atas George Russell di klasemen F1.
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