F1 results: Max Verstappen drives away from everyone for easy Spanish GP win over Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell

The F1 circus invades Barcelona this weekend

Spanish Grand Prix results

  1. Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT

  2. Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes

  3. George Russell (63), Mercedes

  4. Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT

  5. Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari

  6. Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes

  7. Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes

  8. Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault

  9. Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT

  10. Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari

  11. Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault

  12. Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari

  13. Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes

  14. Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT

  15. Nico Hulkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari

  16. Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes

  17. Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari

  18. Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes

  19. Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari

  20. Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes

2023 Spanish Grand Prix TV/streaming schedule

All times Eastern

Sunday
7:30-8:55 a.m.: Pre-race show (ESPN, ESPN app)
8:55-11 a.m.: Spanish Grand Prix (ESPN, ESPN app, F1TV)

Spanish Grand Prix starting grid

  1. Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT

  2. Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari

  3. Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes

  4. Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes

  5. Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes

  6. Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault

  7. Nico Hulkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari

  8. Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes

  9. Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes

  10. Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault

  11. Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT

  12. George Russell (63), Mercedes

  13. Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari

  14. Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT

  15. Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT

  16. Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari

  17. Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari

  18. Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes

  19. Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari

  20. Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes

Gasly gets two grid penalties

Following Saturday's qualifying sessions, stewards issued two separate three-place grid drops to Alpine's Pierre Gasly — who had posted the fourth-fastest time in Q3 — for impeding. In Q1's first flying run, Gasly appeared to let Red Bull's Max Verstappen through, but did not move out of the way for Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez, who had to lift out of the throttle. Later in the session while not on a flying lap he was judged not to have sufficiently out of the way for Verstappen.

Gasly will now start the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix from 10th on the grid.

Perez, Russell out Q2

Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Mercedes' George Russell were surprisingly eliminated in Q2, along with Zhou Guanyu, Nyck de Vries and Yuki Tsunoda. Perez went into the gravel early in his final flying lap, forcing him to abort and try again on now-dirty tires. Russell made contact with teammate Lewis Hamilton late in the session as well. Perez's teammate Max Verstappen was fastest in the session, clocking a 1:12.760.

Hamilton fastest in Q1, Leclerc eliminated

After a frustrating Friday in which Lewis Hamilton mused he might be out early in qualifying, the Mercedes driver turned the fastest lap in Q1 with a 1:12.937. Last year's pole-sitter Charles Leclerc complained about his rear tires throughout the session and was eliminated, along with Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen, Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant.

Verstappen fastest in Friday practice

Max Verstappen was fastest in both of Friday's practice sessions. His 1:14.606 lap in free practice 1 was 0.7.68 seconds faster than his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez. Spain's own Fernando Alonso was second to Verstappen in free practice 2, turning a 1:14.077, behind the Dutchman's 1:13.907. Haas' Kevin Magnussen surprised many in the paddock, placing third in FP 2 with a lap of 1:14.177.

2023 Spanish Grand Prix details

Track: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Barcelona), 2.83-mile, 14-turn permanent road course
Length: 66 laps for 187 miles
Lap record: N/A (new configuration for 2023)
Tire compounds: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), C3 (Soft)

Chicane removed for 2023

When Catalunya opened 32 years ago, it featured a 14-turn layout. In 2007, a chicane was introduced between what were Turns 13 and 14 with the intention of adding another overtaking opportunity. That chicane has been eliminated for this year going forward, mostly owing to the latest aero regulations and cars not being able to follow in dirty air.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 22: Max Verstappen, NDL, Oracle Red Bull Racing RB18 Honda in action during the F1 World Championship Grand Prix of Spain on May 22, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Jay Hirano ATPImages/Getty Images)
Max Verstappen won at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2022 en route to his second consecutive world drivers' championship. (Photo by Jay Hirano ATPImages/Getty Images)

Top drivers and best bets for the Spanish Grand Prix

Max Verstappen once again enters with a negative moneyline figure and only two other drivers — his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso — are better than 22-to-1 to win the race, according to BetMGM. Verstappen has won four of the six rounds of the world championship this season, including the only race on a permanent circuit like Catalunya, and holds a 39-point lead in the standings.

Best odds to win
Max Verstappen -250
Sergio Perez +350
Fernando Alonso +800

If you’re looking for bets outside of Verstappen or Red Bull, we wrote earlier in the week on some interesting props. We like Alonso’s odds to finish on the podium (-185) as well as Alpine’s Esteban Ocon to finish in the top 6.

Spanish Grand Prix entry list

Max Verstappen (1), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
Sergio Perez (11), Red Bull-Honda RBPT
Charles Leclerc (16), Ferrari
Carlos Sainz (55), Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton (44), Mercedes
George Russell (63), Mercedes
Pierre Gasly (10), Alpine-Renault
Esteban Ocon (31), Alpine-Renault
Lando Norris (4), McLaren-Mercedes
Oscar Piastri (81), McLaren-Mercedes
Zhou Guanyu (24), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
Valtteri Bottas (77), Alfa Romeo-Ferrari
Fernando Alonso (14), Aston Martin-Mercedes
Lance Stroll (18), Aston Martin-Mercedes
Kevin Magnussen (20), Haas-Ferrari
Nico Hulkenberg, (27), Haas-Ferrari
Nyck De Vries (21), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
Yuki Tsunoda (22), AlphaTauri-Honda RBPT
Logan Sargeant (2), Williams-Mercedes
Alexander Albon (23), Williams-Mercedes

Weather for the Spanish Grand Prix

The forecast is pretty optimal for racing, with partially cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. While that’s good news for the teams in that they’ll have consistent aerodynamic conditions and predictable tire degradation all weekend, fewer variables typically mean dull racing.