Lando Norris Admits Mistake That Cost Him at Spanish GP

Lando Norris finished the Spanish Grand Prix in second place after a tough start, trailing his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, who claimed his fifth win of the year.

Norris started on the front row alongside Piastri but admitted after the race that he was “caught out” by how quickly the starting lights went out.

He told reporters that he was surprised at how fast the five lights disappeared, leaving him slow off the line as the race began at Circuit de Catalunya on June 1.

Piastri held his position into Turn 1, while Norris slipped behind Max Verstappen, who took advantage and grabbed second place early.

Norris said he could not get a slipstream from Piastri on the main straight, which made it hard to challenge for the lead before the first corner.

Verstappen’s quick move put added pressure on Norris during the opening lap, as he struggled to regain his rhythm.

Norris managed to fight back and moved ahead of Verstappen by lap 13, reclaiming second.

Despite the strong recovery, Norris conceded he did not have the pace to threaten Piastri for the win.

He mentioned the race was long and that the McLaren cars had good pace, but he did not want to take unnecessary risks early in the running.

Norris praised Piastri for driving a “very good race” and admitted that even with similar lap times, it was not enough to chase his teammate down.

The results from Barcelona had a big impact on the 2025 driver standings. After the Spanish Grand Prix, Piastri led the table with 186 points.

Norris followed closely with 176 points, while Verstappen remained third at 137.

McLaren’s continued dominance was clear, as the team leads the constructors’ championship with a combined 362 points between Norris and Piastri.

The next closest is Ferrari, trailing with 165 points. Post-race attention also focused on Max Verstappen, who was involved in a heated clash with George Russell during the event.

The incident led to discussions about driver conduct and future penalties, intensifying the rivalry between top teams.

At the same time, questions about Lewis Hamilton’s recent performances for Ferrari lingered after the team’s struggles in Spain.

Moving forward, Norris hopes to convert strong starts into victories as the season progresses.

Piastri’s consistent pace places extra pressure on all drivers aiming for the championship.

F1 fans now look towards the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix, scheduled for June 15 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where more points and drama are sure to follow.

Additionally, the ongoing dynamics involving Hamilton’s recent challenges mirror the tensions seen earlier in the season during Monaco, as detailed in discussions about Hamilton’s clash and team strategies.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.