Ferrari claims a podium with Charles Leclerc in the Spanish Grand Prix, the ninth spherical of the 2025 Method 1 championship. The Barcelona F1 race ends with out penalties for the Monegasque driver, who after the FIA investigation comes out “clear” from the shut encounter with Max Verstappen. For Lewis Hamilton, nevertheless, issues didn’t go as anticipated. The Englishman struggled with steadiness points whereas carrying lots of gas and was unable to ship his greatest efficiency within the SF-25.
Firstly, most drivers opted for Mushy tires, each new and used. Strategic forecasts indicated a two-stop Spanish Grand Prix to take care of a excessive tempo. Ferrari selected Pirellis marked with crimson for each drivers, however Charles Leclerc had a barely more energizing set than the one Lewis Hamilton was utilizing. Within the first laps, Max Verstappen confirmed a formidable tempo.
However his set of tires was two laps older than Oscar Piastri’s, the race chief. Then the Dutchman started to endure, whereas McLaren stood out for a more practical thermal administration. Oscar Piastri however reported some rear difficulties, comprehensible contemplating how front-loaded the MCL39 single-seater was.
We’re speaking a few steadiness aimed toward favoring rotation, however on the similar time it confused the rear axle of the papaya-colored vehicles a bit an excessive amount of. In distinction, different groups centered on defending the rear axle as a lot as doable, however this mechanically compromised the front-end’s effectiveness.
Ferrari responded to a Mercedes transfer, whereas Crimson Bull tried one thing completely different by bringing Max Verstappen in for his first cease on lap 14. As soon as again on monitor, the Dutchman pushed at full throttle, with out even a lap to adapt: a transparent signal of the intention to play the three-stop card. The tempo was not sufficient to threaten the McLarens however was higher than Ferrari and Mercedes.
Crimson Bull discovered itself within the excellent place to try a extra aggressive technique. The primary of the 2 Ferrari vehicles to cease was Lewis Hamilton’s, compelled to cowl the undercut try by George Russell. To keep away from dropping place to the seven-time Method 1 world champion, the Italian crew selected to convey him in early, accepting to increase the following stint.
In the meantime, Mercedes confronted a tough alternative: prolong the stint or pit instantly. Nonetheless, the overcut proved to be ineffective and even counterproductive. Charles Leclerc was additionally known as within the following lap to stop Lewis Hamilton from gaining floor with new tires. As typically occurs, Ferrari set a cautious begin to the stint for each drivers, an extra motive to keep away from dropping positions throughout the pit stops.
Each mounted Medium tires, the identical compound the Maranello crew deliberate to make use of once more on the finish. With the cease sport, Mercedes managed to strain Ferrari, forcing it to pit earlier. George Russell pitted on lap 23 to placed on Mediums. The four-lap hole to Lewis Hamilton might have mattered within the second half, however entrance tire degradation confirmed up sooner than anticipated, negating a number of the benefit.
Crimson Bull’s plan was to achieve by tempo. Between laps 21 and 22, each McLaren vehicles made their first stops, becoming Medium tires as predicted. Every pit cease prices about 21 seconds, and figuring out he needed to make three stops, Max Verstappen wanted to recuperate a minimum of four-tenths per lap. Within the center section, till the MCL39 vehicles stopped, the Dutchman reduce the hole by about one and a half seconds per lap, sufficient to alarm the Woking pit.
In line with Crimson Bull’s calculations, round lap 40 McLaren really felt the danger. After a really intense second half, Max Verstappen pitted for the final time on lap 41 switching to Softs: the thought was to strive a remaining cost to seize a minimum of one podium step. On the similar second, Charles Leclerc made his second tire change. The one sensible goal was to lock in fourth place and defend towards any Mercedes comeback.
Once more, the selection fell on a second set of Mediums, thought of extra constant than the Softs. Nonetheless, the Ferrari crew most well-liked to not danger, selecting strategic consistency over creativity. The administration of the Pirelli tires appeared strong, as already seen in Imola, particularly for Charles Leclerc, an indication of improved management over floor temperatures.
The Security Automotive ruined all the things for Verstappen and proved an sudden alternative for the Maranello crew. On lap 54, the Security Automotive got here out on account of Kimi Antonelli’s retirement. Nonetheless, its look didn’t supply important strategic benefits because the important stops have been already executed. In truth, for Max Verstappen—already having pitted thrice—the neutralization was a blow.
With Mushy tires used for 11 laps, Crimson Bull was compelled to pit for a fourth cease as a result of the competitors was making ready to mount more energizing tires (nearly all on Softs used for 4 laps). Solely Nico Hülkenberg had a brand new set. Primarily, Crimson Bull judged Max Verstappen’s tires too worn to defend on the restart, particularly towards rivals with more energizing compounds.
With out some other units of Mushy tires out there, they opted for the Laborious tires, the one various left. On the restart, nevertheless, the onerous compound proved ineffective: the temperature had not but reached the best vary and Verstappen misplaced grip exiting the final nook. The end result was a double overtake by Charles Leclerc and George Russell, which excluded the Dutchman from the rostrum.
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