
Kimi Antonelli wins inaugural Madring F1 race as VSC costs Lando Norris
Kimi Antonelli capitalized on a Virtual Safety Car to edge Lando Norris before holding off Max Verstappen to win the inaugural Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Madring
Before the start of this season it was no secret that the lines of communication between Wolff and the Verstappen family were very small. The Mercedes team boss was charmed by the young Dutchman, but Max Verstappen was committed to Red Bull Racing. Wolff repeatedly said he would consider the Dutchman if a seat became available at the successful team.
Of course, after everything that has happened this season, that remains to be seen. In any case, Wolff thinks Verstappen is fine at Red Bull, and so he says in conversation with Soymotor.com: “I think Verstappen and his entourage are very happy with the position they are in. Red Bull is their team and their home, so why not keep it that way? I think we have our plans with our drivers, Ferrari has a great line-up, Lando Norris at McLaren seems pretty settled, so I think the trajectory is set.”
Although Mercedes has not yet made a decision, Wolff gives the impression that they are only looking within their own ranks for a driver for 2022: “We are not looking for a driver.” The Mercedes team boss is still hinting at the summer break to tie the knot: “We want to make the decision in the summer break. There are different opinions within the team and the Daimler management. We just have to get together and say, ‘Okay, what do we think?'”

Kimi Antonelli capitalized on a Virtual Safety Car to edge Lando Norris before holding off Max Verstappen to win the inaugural Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Madring

Complete F1 2026 Driver standings after Spanish GP: Kimi Antonelli extended his lead to 81 points over Mercedes teammate George Russell, Lewis Hamilton title chances

Full F1 2026 Spanish Grand Prix Race Results, Madring: 1. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes; 2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, +4.351s; 3. Lando Norris, McLaren, +5.089s; 4. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, +29.116s

Full 2026 F1 Spanish Grand Prix Qualifying Results: Lando Norris snatched the first-ever pole position at Madring from Kimi Antonelli by just 0.011s in a dramatic final-lap showdown