'A win here is incredible' - Top 3 drivers react to eventful Spanish Grand Prix

Max Verstappen was in a class of his own in the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix, sealing victory by 24 seconds and crushing any driver's intent to challenge him for this year's Formula 1 championship.

The Red Bull driver led every lap of the race, never looking under threat from the competition around him.

Gradually eking out a gap, Verstappen enjoyed a massive 39-second lead over second-place Lewis Hamilton when he pitted, with the final advantage settling at 24 seconds when the chequered flag dropped.

READ: Max Verstappen celebrates 40th F1 win with crushing Spanish Grand Prix victory

"It's a big pleasure to drive with a car like this. A win here, it's incredible. A strong weekend from myself, from the team. Hopefully, we can keep this up," Verstappen said after the race.

Verstappen was at risk of receiving a five-second time penalty for exceeding track limits, but he kept his tyres clean for an error-free victory. With 170 points next to his name, Verstappen is 53 points clear of his nearest rival in the title race. 

Mighty Max takes his fifth win of the season! ??????????#SpanishGP @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/tgqBhF8aeG

Merc is back!

Though their car updates didn't bear the desired fruits in Monaco, it all came together in Spain for the Mercedes-AMG team. Hamilton and teammate George Russell drove impeccably, with Russell finding his way to the podium after starting down in 12th place.

"What an awesome crowd we have here," Hamilton said.

"And what a result for our team. I just want to take my hat off to my team back at the factory for continuing to push. The Bulls are still a bit ahead, but we'll keep chasing them down. They are still too quick at the moment, but one step at a time."

READ: Detailing the Spanish Grand Prix and