Kimi Antonelli holds off Max Verstappen during Madring debut to win F1 Spanish GP
Kimi Antonelli secured his first Formula One Spanish Grand Prix victory at the new Madring circuit, holding off Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Despite Antonelli's win, the race faced criticism for a significant lack of overtaking opportunities, contrasting with the 'yo-yo racing' seen in other recent F1 events.
Why it matters
This victory marks a significant achievement for Kimi Antonelli in his championship pursuit and raises concerns about the design of new F1 circuits impacting race excitement and competitive overtaking, potentially affecting fan engagement.
Kimi Antonelli has become the first driver to win the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. Kimi Antonelli has become the first driver to win the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. Formula One 2026 Kimi Antonelli holds off Max Verstappen during Madring debut to win F1 Spanish GP McLaren’s Norris in third and Ferrari’s Leclerc fourth
Track design questioned owing to lack of overtaking
Prefer the Guardian on Google Kimi Antonelli’s seemingly inexorable march to his first Formula One world championship advanced at double time as the young Italian proved to have good fortune on his side too with his victory at the Spanish Grand Prix.
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