Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the Spanish Grand Prix from pole position on Sunday to strengthen his hold on the Formula One championship. (More Motorsport News)
T꧅he two-time defending champion was never challenged on the🤪 Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya after beating Carlos Sainz's Ferrari to the first turn.
Lewis Hamilton crossed the finish line second in his Mercedes to equal his best fꦦinish of the season. Fellow Mercedes driver George Russell completed the podium.
Ver💛stappen has won five of seven races this season♔.
His 40th career win, including his third in Barcelona, leaves Verstappen one win behind the late Ayrton Senna's total of 41. He also seems well on course toꦺ matching Senna's three world titles. Ver🌳stappen set a Red Bull record with 39 wins last weekend at Monaco, breaking Sebastian Vettel's record of 38.
Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez, who fini😼shed fourth, has won the other two races this year.
The Dutchman gre🦄w his♍ lead over Pérez to 55 points.
“It 🀅is a big pleasure to drive a car like this and it showed on a day like this,” Verstappen said.
“Hopef♚ully we can keep it up throughout the year.”
Sai🐠nz had to settle for fifth after being passed by the Merc🤡edes cars and Pérez's Red Bull.
Ho🀅me favorite Fernando Alonso disappointed the legion of Spanish fans by finiꦑshing a season-worst seventh place, right behind teammate Lance Stroll.
As expected given the superior speed of the Red🎃 Bull, the 66-lap race was largely decided in the 595-meter run from the starting line to Turn One.
Sainz tried to get the jump on Verstappen from the off bඣy starting on a faster, although less durable, tire than the polesitter. Sainz was side-by-side with Verstappen after the long opening straightway going into the first turn, but the Red Bull fended off the Ferrari to stay in front.
Esteban Ocon was eighth in an Al♌pin♎e ahead of Alfa Romeo's Zhou Guanyu and Pierre Gasly in the other Alpine to round out the top 10.
