Max Verstappen finished tenth in the Spanish Grand Prix after looking set for a podium behind the two McLarens. Following a late safety car, Max crossed the line if fifth but was demoted to tenth after receiving a ten second time penalty. Oscar Piastri won his fifth Grand Prix of the 2025 campaign, ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

“We tried three stops, and it went quite well”, explained Max. “We needed to because the tyres wore quickly. Third place seemed secured, but unfortunately, we didn’t have tyres left when the safety car came out. We did have a set of softs, but they were five or six laps old, so that wasn’t ideal.”

The team switched Max to the hard Pirellis for the final laps of the race. “That tyre was not the right one. With six laps to go, everyone could go flat out, and I really had a lot less grip on the hards. Nobody expected the hards to be this bad. Maybe it would’ve been better to have stayed out, but that’s easy to say with hindsight.”

The race ended on a sour note for Max after incidents with Leclerc and Russell. The collision with the Mercedes resulted in the time penalty. “I had no grip, so the car slid in the last corner. After that, I was hit in the middle of the straight. And then turn one… you can make up your own mind about that one, but I think it’s clear. Of course I was frustrated I had to give the place back. I wasn’t happy with it, I think that was clear too. In the end I got the penalty for that one moment, but it is what it is.”