Norris loses Spanish GP win by two seconds as VSC timing bites McLaren

Two seconds - that's all that separated Lando Norris from a Spanish Grand Prix victory. The McLaren driver missed the virtual safety car window by the narrowest of margins, allowing Kimi Antonelli to claim his maiden Formula 1 win.

Why it matters:

Norris had looked untouchable, leading Antonelli by 6.2 seconds after surviving a chaotic opening lap. The VSC, triggered by Lance Stroll's brake failure, was supposed to be a free pit stop - but McLaren missed it by two seconds. That decision flipped the race and could have major implications for the championship.

The details:

• Stroll parked his Aston Martin at Turn 20 after his brakes failed, with the yellow flag shown as Norris exited Turn 14.
• McLaren chose not to react, expecting a quick recovery. But the VSC was called just as Norris crossed the final corner - too late to pit.
• Antonelli, Verstappen, and Russell all pitted under the VSC for hard tyres. Norris had to wait a lap and stop under green, losing crucial track position.
• A slow front-right wheel change compounded the damage, dropping Norris behind Russell and later Verstappen.
• Norris spent the rest of the race trapped in traffic, finishing behind Verstappen and Antonelli.

What's next:

McLaren chief Andrea Stella called it 'almost a mathematical definition of being unlucky.' He admitted the team would review whether the VSC was obvious, but noted the risk of pitting unnecessarily was too high. With the championship heating up, those two seconds could echo for a long time.