Updated

Updated · NBC News · Sep 13

Antonelli Wins Spanish GP, Stretching F1 Lead to 81 Points After Norris Loses VSC Break

Updated

Updated · NBC News · Sep 13

Antonelli Wins Spanish GP, Stretching F1 Lead to 81 Points After Norris Loses VSC Break

Q: Did a single lap 13 VSC truly steal Lando Norris's victory, or was McLaren's fatal hesitation to blame?

The lap-13 VSC was the decisive trigger, but McLaren’s hesitation turned bad luck into a lost win. Norris had the fastest car in the opening phase and was controlling the race from pole, building a margin over Antonelli. At a circuit like the new Madring, where overtaking was expected to be extremely difficult and track position was critical, that put him in the best possible place. The problem was timing: the VSC was triggered just after Norris had passed pit entry, while Antonelli, Verstappen and Russell were able to stop immediately at reduced time loss. That advantage was significant. Available race data suggests a VSC stop saved roughly 3.7 seconds versus a normal green-flag stop, and on a track where passing was limited, that was enough to swing track position. In that sense, the VSC did not merely hurt Norris; it reshaped the race. But it was not the only reason he lost. McLaren kept Norris out while rivals reacted instantly, and when he finally stopped, the VSC had ended. The team then compounded the damage with a slow stop reported at about seven seconds, which dropped him into traffic and effectively removed his direct shot at the lead. Without that delay, he might still have remained close enough to attack on strategy or pressure. So Norris was unlucky, and his complaint about VSC timing has merit. But the race was not stolen by the VSC alone. The neutralisation created the problem; McLaren’s delayed response and poor pit execution made it fatal.

3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Sep 13

81 points now separate Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes teammate George Russell after the 20-year-old turned Lando Norris’s misfortune into victory in Madrid.
Lap 14 proved decisive: Lance Stroll’s crash triggered a virtual safety car just after Norris passed pit entry, letting Antonelli and Max Verstappen stop cheaply while Norris later lost three places with a slow green-flag stop.
Verstappen finished second and Norris third after the McLaren driver closed late but could not pass on the 57-lap, 22-turn Madring street circuit, where overtaking was difficult on worn tires.
Russell took fifth for 10 points to Antonelli’s 25, widening the title gap from 66 with nine races left and strengthening Antonelli’s bid to become F1’s youngest world champion.