Max Verstappen holds off fuming Lando Norris in Spanish GP but McLaren on up

After the exciting Spanish Grand Prix, Lando Norris may have some reasons to be hard on himself. He felt like he made a mistake that allowed Max Verstappen to win the race. However, Norris tried his hardest to make up for it and gave a strong performance to challenge Verstappen until the end. Even though it may not make him feel better, Norris and his McLaren team are showing great form. This means that Verstappen is now aware that he will have to work hard to stay ahead in the upcoming races.

Verstappen crossed the finish line in Barcelona just 2.2 seconds ahead of Norris, after giving his all to catch up to his Red Bull rival twice during the 66-lap race. He showed impressive speed and skill, making the race exciting despite the possibility of it being boring with Verstappen leading for most of it.

Norris is very honest about how hard he is on himself, always looking at the negative side of things. One can only imagine how he must have scolded himself inside his helmet as he lost his lead from pole position in the beginning of the race.

He didn't have a good start, and Verstappen overtook him in the first turn while George Russell also passed them to take the lead. Norris recognized that it was the crucial moment.

"I was supposed to win, but I made a mistake at the beginning," he said, in a thoughtful and courteous way of analyzing his performance. He was correct in his assessment, and the outcome of the race reflected that.

Red Bull and Verstappen were clearly relieved after the race, knowing they had to work hard for this victory. Verstappen, who passed Russell for the lead on lap two, admitted that their car wasn't the fastest that day.

The McLaren team was feeling let down that they missed out on a victory. They are now hopeful for more success, as they have improved greatly in just two years. Team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged that the race was extremely close and that the cars were evenly matched in terms of speed.

This is very important for the team and Norris in the long run. Verstappen thinks that the team's strong start to the season is over, and Barcelona will be a key test of the car's aerodynamics. If Red Bull is still ahead, it's not as clear as it was at the beginning of the season.

The specific information was very important, but everything that happened after that initial point was a result of it. Norris then fell behind Russell in the beginning of the race, causing him to lose time before the first pit stops in a race that required two stops. Verstappen took advantage of this situation and was able to gain a significant lead during this time, making the race more exciting.

Norris got to work with a lot of determination. He took his time at the pit stops to adjust the tires and made strategic passes to make his way back up the ranks. It seemed like he had something to prove.

Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton, and Russell were all overtaken during the course of eight laps. Norris had an intense battle with Russell, swapping positions three times around the track before Norris ultimately claimed the lead at turn six.

Norris, who secured his first victory at Miami this year, is not willing to accept just finishing in the top three positions and demanded that the team adjust their plans to aim for a win. As a result, they brought him in for a pit stop but unfortunately lost almost a second due to some small issues during the process. Norris then had to push hard to catch up with Verstappen, who was ahead by nine seconds with 19 laps left in the race.

A thrilling race to the finish began, with Norris driving fast and narrowing the gap to five seconds behind Verstappen. Verstappen's team urged him to go faster, and he managed to keep his position until the end. Despite finishing in second place, Norris moved up to second in the drivers' championship, trailing Verstappen by 69 points with 14 races left. He is confident that he can close the gap and compete for the championship.

The small differences and important moments have helped Norris and his team come closer to Red Bull. McLaren is almost at the same level as Red Bull, which is a comforting thought for Norris.

Mercedes did well again with Hamilton and Russell finishing in third and fourth place. They are getting closer to Red Bull in the standings. Ferrari's Leclerc came in fifth, followed by Sainz in sixth. Piastri from McLaren got seventh place, Pérez from Red Bull was eighth, and Gasly and Ocon from Alpine finished in ninth and 10th place.