No luck for Norris as Antonelli becomes Madring's first F1 winner

MADRID, Sept 13 : Mercedes's Kimi Antonelli won the first Spanish Grand Prix held at Madrid's new circuit to take another huge stride towards the Formula One title after bad luck denied Lando Norris victory for McLaren on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Italian's triumph from starting second on the grid at the Madring was his eighth win of the season and stretched his championship lead over teammate George Russell to 81 points after 14 rounds.

Red Bull's four-time champion Max Verstappen was second with reigning champion Norris third. Russell finished fifth. 

"I think today it's good to win but it doesn't feel as good because I think Lando today deserved the win but overall, we take it," said Antonelli.

VIRTUAL SAFETY CAR PROVES DECISIVE

Antonelli benefited from a virtual safety car (VSC) on lap 15 falling at just the right time for him to come in for a change of tyres and too late for McLaren's pole-sitter Norris, who was leading and had already gone past the pit entrance seconds earlier.

When Norris came in at the next opportunity, on lap 16 of 57, the race had gone green again.

The pitstop was slow, due to a problem on the front right of the car, but McLaren and Pirelli said that made little difference and the damage had already been done on a track that lived up to fears it would be impossible to overtake.

Norris said there was nothing he could do, with all the top three on the same one-stop strategy.

"I felt like we deserved it today but that's racing sometimes," he said. "I feel like I drove a perfect race today, just luck wasn't with me.

"It's just incredibly frustrating to lose in a way that has nothing to do with performance."  

OPENING BATTLE BETWEEN ANTONELLI AND NORRIS

Antonelli twice had to give the lead back to Norris on the