This win doesn’t feel as good as my other ones: Kimi Antonelli

Kimi Antonelli with the winner’s trophy in Madrid on Sunday

[popcorn number="08" desc="No. of wins for Kimi Antonelli this season" class="Default"]

Kimi Antonelli extended his lead in the world championship with his eighth victory of the season at the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix here on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Mercedes driver finished clear of Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Lando Norris (McLaren) and is now 81 points ahead of nearest rival, his Mercedes teammate George Russell, in the title race.

Antonelli benefited from the virtual safety car (VSC) that was deployed on Lap 15, as he dove into the pits with Verstappen, while the then race leader Norris had already crossed the pit entry. By the time the Briton went into pit in the next lap, the VSC had ended.

Mercedes's Kimi Antonelli leads the way with Max Verstappen's Red Bull trailing him during the Spanish GP in Madrid on Sunday. Pics/AFP

Reflecting on his good fortune at the cost of the defending world champion, Antonelli said: "It was a very difficult race. Not straightforward at all. But yeah, it's good to win, which doesn't feel as good [as my other ones] because I think Lando today deserved to win. But overall, we'll take it."

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) finished fourth ahead of fellow Russell and Liam Lawson in the second Red Bull. Franco Colapinto (Alpine), Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) and Niko Hulkenberg (Audi) rounded out the top 10.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who had scored points in every race this season, missed out completely, retiring his Ferrari on lap seven because of brake failure.

Russell was another big loser, suffering badly from his team's decision to put him on a two-stop strategy, which blew his chances of podium and left him even further behind his teammate in the title race.

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