Formula 1 Winners & Losers: Spanish Grand Prix

Photo from Getty Images

This was the race where we’d get a real metric on the new cars, given that Spain is a hard place to overtake.

It didn’t disappoint.

Here are this weeks winners and losers.

Losers

5. Lewis Hamilton

He had a great race, but it was hard to find losers for this race, so we need to discuss how he wanted to give up 6 laps into the race.

Hamilton suffered a puncture on the opening lap and ended up down in 19th on the opening lap, and decided to say on the radio, 6 laps into a 66 lap race, that they should just retire to save the engine.

Thankfully, Mercedes didn’t listen to him, because he came back to finish 5th.

4. Mick Schumacher

Mick was so close to points yet again, but he unfortunately just fell a bit short.

Really, really tough.

3. Carlos Sainz

Again, it feels really harsh to put Carlos here, but it unfortunately needs to be.

He had a terrible start and a spin which cost him a lot of ground.

He still finished 4th, but considering the other events that transpired in the race, it could have been his first ever Formula 1 win, at his home grand prix.

2. Charles Leclerc

Charles was cruising.

I genuinely forgot he was even involved because the camera hadn’t shown him in forever.

Unfortunately, the time they did show him was when his engine was blowing up, and a guaranteed win went up in flames.

Brutal, brutal luck for the Ferrari driver.

1. Daniel Ricciardo

He outqualified his teammate for the first time all year, and had a better chance at a good race considering how terrible Lando felt before the race due to illness.

And Lando just blew him out of the water.

This sport is a lot about confidence, and right now it feels like Daniel doesn’t have a lot of it.

Winners

5. Max Verstappen

Max won, so he should be higher, but it was a little bit given to him considering Leclerc’s engine fault.

Still, he overcame his own technical failures with a good strategy and fast car and got himself the win.

4. Esteban Ocon

He’s been quietly good all year.

There isn’t a lot to add except that he had another very solid and smart drive to be P7.

3. George Russell

George drove a brilliant race, defended the lead beautifully considering he was in a slower car than the Red Bulls and because of that he found himself on the podium once again.

A very well deserved one, at that.

2. Fernando Alonso

Alonso had a terrible qualifying session at his home race and decided to take an engine penalty to start last.

Didn’t matter. Still drove the way through the pack to end up in the points to finish 9th.

That may not sound too impressive, but remember that this is Spain. It is very, very hard to pass here.

That was a great race.

1. Lando Norris

Lando looked terrible before the race.

I don’t know all the details. Maybe it was illness. Maybe it was the heat. Maybe a combination of both, but he did not look good.

Because of that, I assumed he would have a pretty tough race, simply from his head not being fully in it.

Boy oh boy was I wrong.

Lando stayed focused, drove hard and brought his McLaren home in 8th.

When I’m sick, I barely want to get out of bed to get water, let alone drive 66 laps in almost 100 degree weather for almost two hours.

What a great effor from Lando.