LEWIS HAMILTON toasted his first podium of the season as Max Verstappen showed everyone how it’s done once again.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton finished in third place as Red Bull’s Verstappen snatched first place from Lando Norris who started in pole position.
GettyLewis Hamilton finished on the podium for the first time this season[/caption]
GettyLando Norris apologised to his team over his poor start[/caption]
Hamilton’s last podium came back in October 2023 when he finished second place in Mexico City.
It was a week after he was disqualified from the US Grand Prix, where he also finished second, due to an illegal car.
He said: “It’s a great surprise to come here and get these points. Let’s keep pushing, we’re nearly there.”
Dutch driver Verstappen has now won three of the last four races to put the two-finger salute up to any shouts that his team were in crisis.
There was no messing out from George Russell in a dramatic start who soared into first place from fourth, dropping Norris to third while Verstappen stayed in second.
Verstappen may as well have said “hold my beer” as he had seen enough and nipped back into first place on lap three.
You could practically hear the groans echoing around the Barcelona circuit as any sign of a change from Verstappen’s dominance had been so short lived.
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The Ferraris, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, closed in and nosed ahead of Hamilton and Russell who both pitted.
But Hamilton bulldozed down the inside of Sainz on lap 19 with the pair very nearly making contact, leaving the Spanish driver fuming.
Norris hit back strongly and the comeback was on as he breezed past Sainz for fourth before closing in on Hamilton and overtaking him for third on lap 32.
The McLaren driver battled back and forth with Russell for second place on lap 35 before coming out on top.
Norris was chipping away at Verstappen but a sluggish pit stop left him a whopping eight seconds behind Verstappen with 20 laps to go.
Hamilton cut family ties by dancing around the outside of his Mercedes teammate Russell to take third place on lap 52.