Verstappen extends title lead with masterful Spanish win

Defending treble satellite champion Max Verstappen extended his pb successful this year's rubric contention to 53 points connected Sunday erstwhile helium completed a hat-trick by driving his Red Bull to a masterful triumph successful the Spanish Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old Dutchman led from lights to emblem to travel location 24 seconds up of revitalised seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, successful their much-improved Mercedes' cars.

It was Verstappen's 3rd consecutive win, his 3rd successful Spain, his 5th successful 7 races this play and the 40th of his career, achieved contempt receiving 3 authoritative warnings for exceeding way limits.

"It's specified a large pleasance to thrust a car similar this," said Verstappen.

"And it showed again today. We were connected antithetic tyre strategies retired determination contiguous and mostly I was connected the close one! And to triumph present is incredible."

Hamilton's 2nd spot provided him with his 11th podium decorativeness successful Spain, wherever helium has won six times.

"Oh, man, what an awesome assemblage and result," said Hamilton. "And I didn't expect that truthful hats disconnected to the squad and our mill for pushing america truthful adjacent to the 'Bulls. We are chasing them down -- and George did a large occupation excessively today."

Russell said helium was amazed to decorativeness 3rd aft starting 12th. "Kudos to the squad for that," helium said. "I had a large car today."

Verstappen's Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez battled done the field, aft starting 11th, to decorativeness 4th up of Ferrari's location leader Carlos Sainz, Lance Stroll and his Aston Martin team-mate two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who was incapable to widen his streak of podiums connected location ground.

The contention began successful blistery conditions with an aerial somesthesia of 25 degrees and the way astatine 42, but gathering clouds threatened. The hazard of rainfall was 40 percent.

Verstappen made a cleanable commencement and resisted Sainz into the archetypal country before, down him, Hamilton swept circular Norris, lone for the McLaren to marque declaration nether braking astatine Turn Two.

Norris's beforehand helping was damaged, requiring a pit-stop, but Hamilton escaped superior damage. The collision talented Stroll 3rd place, but this was not to beryllium Aston Martin's day.

Russell besides near the way connected the opening lap, astatine the archetypal chicane. He was not penalised, contempt gaining 5 places from the start.

Verstappen stamped his authorization connected proceedings and by thigh 11 led Sainz by 5.3 seconds with Hamilton, acknowledgment to a sweeping walk connected Stroll connected thigh eight, successful third.

By mid-distance, Verstappen led by 13.7 seconds up of Hamilton, who was six wide of Sainz and pulling away. Russell, fourth, passed the Spaniard nether braking astatine Turn One connected thigh 35, confirming the 'silver arrows' outright velocity successful the sunshine.

Verstappen, who had complained of sliding connected his worn hards, came successful for his last halt connected thigh 53, taking softs to scope the finish. He was much than 16 seconds wide of Hamilton erstwhile helium re-joined for his cruise to the flag.

With six laps remaining, helium was shown a 3rd black-and-white informing flag. "We can't spend anything," his squad warned him arsenic helium enquired astir his fastest lap.

Verstappen responded with a thigh successful 1:16.330, the fastest. "OK, present tin you bring it location wrong the achromatic lines," came contention technologist Gianpiero Lambiase's response.