The ninth round of the 2025 Formula 1 season took place in sunny Barcelona, delivering intense racing, bold overtakes, and strategic brilliance. Oscar Piastri claimed a stunning victory for McLaren, while teammate Lando Norris secured a 1-2 finish for the team. Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium for Ferrari.
Piastri held his pole position at the start, defending his lead into the first corner. Max Verstappen moved into second by overtaking Norris, while Lewis Hamilton advanced to fourth ahead of George Russell. A minor collision between Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli saw Antonelli run wide and drop to seventh.
McLaren’s strategic acumen soon became clear. As Verstappen complained about grip issues, Norris regained second place, and Piastri extended his lead. The pit stop phase reshuffled the order briefly, with Verstappen temporarily leading, but a well-timed stop returned Piastri to the front.
Drama intensified when a collision between Alex Albon and Liam Lawson damaged Albon’s front wing, leading to his retirement after a 10-second penalty. Later, Antonelli’s off-track excursion triggered a safety car deployment, bunching up the field for a final showdown.
Upon the restart, Piastri maintained the lead. Leclerc and Russell attacked Verstappen, who clashed with Russell twice. As a result, Verstappen was handed a 10-second time penalty, dropping him to tenth. Hulkenberg overtook Hamilton for fifth as the midfield fight intensified.
After 66 action-packed laps, Piastri took the chequered flag first, earning McLaren a sensational win. Norris completed the 1-2, while Leclerc brought home solid points for Ferrari with a third-place finish.