Red Bull Motorsports
F1
Max Verstappen keeps his podium run rolling in Madrid
The four-time Formula One champion now has five podium finishes in the last seven races following his P2 at the first-ever Grand Prix at the Madring.
Max Verstappen claimed second place at the first-ever F1 race at the Madring in Madrid, holding off a late challenge from reigning champion Lando Norris to secure his fifth podium in the last seven Grands Prix.
Starting from P3 on the grid on a scorching-hot day in the Spanish capital, Verstappen spent much of the race behind Kimi Antonelli and Norris before a Virtual Safety Car shook things up at the front. Norris lost time after eventually coming into the pits, opening the door for Verstappen to move ahead of the reigning champion.
Despite a late charge from Norris, Verstappen held on to take P2 behind race winner Antonelli and, while the result doesn't change his position in the standings – he remains sixth overall – it does cut the gap to fifth-placed Charles Leclerc to 22 points.
Max Verstappen takes a corner on the challenging track
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How Max Verstappen held on to P2
With Norris closing quickly behind him in the final few laps, Verstappen knew keeping hold of second place wasn't going to be easy, although his solution sounded pretty simple.
“It's a circuit that's very difficult to pass on; if you position yourself in the middle, there isn't really a way through, so I was able to hold off Lando until the end,” he explained.
Verstappen was happy to admit that both Antonelli and Norris had more speed on the day, making second place feel like a result earned rather than one that got away.
“It was a great result, and we really maximised our performance, with finishing P2 on this track a solid way to wrap up a good weekend,” said Verstappen. “I don't think we had the pace to challenge for the lead anyway, Kimi and Lando were faster than me throughout, so I'm happy with second.”
Staying in the middle – Verstappen celebrates with Antonelli and Norris
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A podium is a nice way to end the European swing
“This double header has been a positive one,” added Verstappen. “The car has been in a decent window both weekends, and we've been able to score consistently good points over the last few races. A podium is a nice way to end the European swing.”
A first F1 race at the Madring
Verstappen's latest podium came on a historic day for the sport, with Madrid hosting Formula One for the first time in 45 years and Sunday's race marking the first-ever Grand Prix at the new Madring.
The track provided a challenge for every driver on the grid, who each had three days to learn the 5.4km circuit and figure out where they could gain an advantage. Winding its way around Madrid's IFEMA district, it mixed public roads with purpose-built sections and packed in 22 corners, including the huge, banked Turn 12.
One thing that quickly became clear here was that overtaking wasn't going to be easy. That might have frustrated plenty of drivers over the weekend, but with Norris looming large in his mirrors in the closing laps, it certainly played in Verstappen's favour.
Verstappen in full flow around the new Madring
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
What's next for Max Verstappen?
After another strong F1 weekend, Verstappen's next race will see him return to his roots for a very different kind of challenge. On September 16, he'll head to Silverstone for Max vs 100, where he'll start at the back of a 100-driver go-kart field with just 30 laps to try to make his way through and take victory.
Max vs 100 will be streamed live globally on Disney+.
