2025 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix Highlights

George Russell finishes P4 after an eventful ending to the 2025 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Kimi Antonelli, unfortunately, had to retire from the race 11 laps from the end due to a Power Unit problem, which resulted in a loss of oil pressure.

Despite the challenges, George Russell’s resilience shone through. Kimi’s retirement from the race brought out the Safety Car, after which, with six laps to go, George was able to chase Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen ahead. George battled Verstappen in Turn One before the pair made contact at Turn 5. Verstappen was subsequently given a 10-second penalty. Having gained the place on Verstappen, George pushed hard to chase down the Ferrari of Leclerc but ran out of laps, eventually finishing P4 on the road.

Kimi was running P7 and managing his tyres well before the Power Unit issue curtailed his race. A strategic two-stop strategy was selected for the race, starting with the Softs, then moving to the Medium, and finally returning to the Softs, showcasing the team’s tactical approach to the race.

George Russell, Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

We finished where we started today, and P4 was the best we could have done today. The last 10 laps saw plenty of action, but I am frustrated about my performance on lap one. I made a good start but then dropped back, and both Ferraris got ahead of me. Charles (Leclerc) was reachable today, but things got shuffled a bit with the Safety Car, and after contact with Verstappen, it was too much of an ask to track him down.

Overall, we can take away from Barcelona a sense of progress made this weekend. Finishing P4 is quite consistent with where we have been racing since the beginning of the season, so it feels good to be back in that pace-wise area after two challenging races. Unfortunately, we are still a long way from the leaders, but we are taking steps forward. We will aim to continue making progress next time in Canada.

Kimi Antonelli, Driver, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

I am disappointed with how today’s race went. It was a tricky Grand Prix, with the hot temperatures impacting the tyres. Even though we did a lot of long-run work in FP1 and FP2 on Friday, it was still a struggle to look after them and keep a decent pace. However, I still felt good in the car. I had a good pace on the Medium tyres, and I was putting in consistent lap times. It was, therefore, a shame to end the day with a DNF.

Overall, it has been a difficult triple header for us. Now, though, we have some time to reset. I am looking forward to heading to Montreal for my first Canadian Grand Prix. It’s a different track and a different tarmac here in Barcelona. We are also at the opposite end of the Pirelli range in terms of the compounds. We will take everything we have learned over the past three weeks, analyse and come back stronger in two weeks.

Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO

That was a difficult weekend for us overall. We typically struggle a lot in warmer conditions, and tyre management is our main issue when the tarmac is as hot as it was here in Barcelona. P4 for George is not where we want to be racing, but it is a better result than we thought was possible pre-race. Unfortunately, Kimi did not have the chance to score points due to a failure of his Power Unit.

We now have the time to thoroughly examine the data collected throughout the weekend and focus on unlocking the car’s full potential. We recognise that there are clear areas where we need to improve. We need to address our tyre overheating challenges. Fortunately, there is still a long way to go in the season, and we’re determined and will keep working hard to make progress with the car.

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