News Summary
- Max Verstappen finished second in Madrid after benefiting from the Virtual Safety Car.
- Lando Norris caught the Red Bull late in the race but could not find a way past.
- Verstappen joked that defending at Madring required him to “just keep the car in the middle.”
Max Verstappen admitted Madring’s lack of overtaking opportunities helped him keep Lando Norris behind and finish second in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Norris had controlled the race from pole before unfortunate Virtual Safety Car timing dropped him behind Kimi Antonelli and Verstappen. The McLaren was considerably faster in the closing stages and caught the Red Bull, but passing proved another matter.
“Looking at the race pace, for us, a great result,” Verstappen told RacingNews365. “Lando got unlucky with the VSC, so for us P2 is an incredible result because you could see how much he was catching me but around here you can’t pass, so I could keep him behind.”
Asked how he managed the defence, Verstappen offered a simple answer.
“Just keep the car in the middle,” he said. “That works quite well around here and just trying to keep the grip in the tyres, which was the hardest part of that stint.”
The remarks reinforced Verstappen’s criticism of the racing at Madring. Earlier in the Grand Prix, after a chaotic opening-lap sequence involving Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton, the Dutchman had complained over the radio: “Fucking Mickey Mouse racing, this is.”
Verstappen had qualified third behind Norris and Antonelli and acknowledged that Red Bull did not have the race pace to challenge the leaders directly.
The VSC changed that. Verstappen was able to pit at the right moment, while Norris had already passed the pit entrance and lost further time when McLaren subsequently serviced his car.
Norris eventually recovered to Verstappen’s gearbox, but the Red Bull driver held on to second. Antonelli won and extended his championship lead to 81 points, while Verstappen moved to 145 points with his sixth podium of 2026.
FAQ
What did Verstappen say about defending against Norris?
Verstappen joked that the key was to “just keep the car in the middle”, highlighting how difficult overtaking was at Madring.
Why did Verstappen finish ahead of Norris?
Verstappen benefited from the timing of the Virtual Safety Car. Norris later caught him but could not pass despite having stronger pace.
Where is Verstappen in the F1 standings?
Verstappen is sixth with 145 points after the Spanish GP, 147 behind championship leader Antonelli.
