Starting from seventh on the grid, Leclerc wasted no time making his move, overtaking George Russell on the opening lap.
A pivotal moment came on lap 61 when a Safety Car was deployed following Kimi Antonelli’s spin into the gravel. This bunched up the field, placing Leclerc directly behind Max Verstappen, who was struggling on cold hard tyres. Seizing the opportunity, Leclerc executed a decisive overtake as Verstappen battled for grip .
In a weekend painted almost entirely in McLaren orange, Charles Leclerc emerged as the lone red blur refusing to fade into the papaya parade.
After a gutsy second place in Monaco, Leclerc stormed into Barcelona riding high—and he didn’t disappoint. While the McLaren duo of Piastri and Norris put on a masterclass out front, Leclerc muscled his Ferrari into the best seat not reserved for orange royalty: third place.
With that podium finish—his second in as many weekends—Leclerc cemented his role as Ferrari’s fighting spirit and ended with a solid fifth place in the Drivers’ standings with 94 points. In a season where Ferrari have mostly shuffled behind the front-runners, Leclerc has become the Scuderia’s sharpest sword in the racing war.
Verstappen’s race was marred by incidents, including a collision with George Russell during the Safety Car restart. So Verstappen ended the race with an extra 3 penalty points making 11 penalty points accumulated over the past 12 months. He now stands one point away from a potential race ban.
Leclerc’s teammate Lewis Hamilton had another Sunday to forget. While Leclerc danced with the leaders, Hamilton slogged through a midfield mess. And yet, thanks to Leclerc’s fire and focus, Ferrari remains relevant in the title fight.
Post-race, Leclerc expressed satisfaction with the outcome, acknowledging the challenges faced and the team’s efforts in securing the podium. He emphasized the importance of capitalizing on opportunities, especially during unpredictable race conditions .
Final Standings
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) +2.471s
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +10.455s
4. George Russell (Mercedes) +11.359s
5. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +13.648s
6. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +15.508s
Piastri’s fifth win of the season moves him into a 10-point lead over Norris in the Drivers championship, but Verstappen’s eventful final few laps has left him 49 points behind the Australian.
