Spanish GP: Max Verstappen survives McLaren scare to finish top of the podium

Three-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen survived a close scare from McLaren's Lando Norris to secure the top podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix to extend his championship lead.

The race was special for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton who returned to the podium for the first time this season, and the first time since the Mexican Grand Prix last year.

Red Bull had to dig deep and if it wasn't for Verstappen's opening lap push, the race could have gone the other way as Norris pushed for a dogfight till the very last lap of the race.

Norris' opening lap woes

Norris started the race at the front of the grid but could not get out of the blocks quickly as Mercedes' George Russell took the lead at Turn 1. Verstappen, however, kept up with the pace and managed to take the inside line to go past the British driver a few minutes later on lap 3.

Norris lost the opportunity to win the race after the team took the gamble of staying out, behind Russell while the likes of Verstappen, and Hamilton preferred to pit early. Norrislost nearly four seconds sitting behind Russell and later had to endure a slow pit exit, which contributed to a second-place finish.

Despite the close nature of the finish, it was Verstappen's 61st career win, seventh of the season, and fourth at the track he first shot onto the F1 scene as a teenager in 2016.

"What made the race was the beginning, I took the lead on Lap 3, and then I had a buffer.That in that first stint, I could eke out the gap a little bit and after that, I had to drive a defensive race against Lando and McLaren," said Verstappen in the post-match interview.

"They were very quick today, and in the last few laps, they were very fast, but we did everything well.We drove quite an aggressive strategy, but luckily it played out in the end. It was quite close, but I am very happy to win," he added.

Meanwhile, Norris, looking dejected by the result, conceded that it was the opening that cost him the race, akin to Imola and Canadian GP.

"I had to do a bit of rallying on the straight, I had to take to the grass a little bit, which lost me a bit of momentum, and then of course, we're braking quite late into Turn 1," he said.

McLaren and Norris would have the opportunity to get one better as the second of the triple-header race weekend moves to Red Bull Ring in Austria.