Norris, the reigning Formula 1 world champion, controlled the race at the start as Antonelli and Verstappen had excursions off track and had to give up positions. They settled back into second and third place after Lewis Hamilton retired with what a Ferrari official called a brake system issue.

But in a twist of bad luck, Norris lost the lead due to an ill-timed “virtual safety car” that helped his rivals get a cheap pit stop for fresh tires. Norris then had a slow pit stop under green-flag conditions and lost three positions. The VSC was brought out by Lance Stroll hitting the barriers on lap 14.

In a strategic gamble, Ferrari kept Charles Leclerc out on worn tires, hoping to make up time later in case the race slowed down due to a safety car. But it never happened. Leclerc led for much of the race but finished fourth after making his pit stop on lap 49.

Russell finished fifth, scoring 10 points to Antonelli’s 25 points.

The drivers raced for 57 laps around the Circuito de Madring, a track with 22 turns near central Madrid, featuring tight, twisty corners as well as long sections where drivers are fully on the gas.

Overtaking proved difficult, especially toward the end on old tires. The top three were separated by a few seconds in the final few laps, as Norris challenged Verstappen and got close numerous times — but couldn’t find a way past him.

“Just luck not on our side. I gave it a good fight to try and catch up with Max. But difficult to pass,” Norris said. “A tough race, one that just got away from us.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff agreed, saying on the Sky Sports broadcast after the race: “The race God was with us.”

On lap 13, Spanish drivers Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz made contact into a heavy braking zone. A fiery Alonso took to team radio to accuse Sainz of squeezing him into the wall ahead of a chicane. Sainz was given a five-second time penalty.

“The chicane is scary,” Antonelli told Verstappen and Norris in the cool-down room before the podium celebration. “Especially when you’re behind cars.”