The Spanish Grand Prix felt like the weekend when Max Verstappen showed the true extent of his dominance over the 2023 Formula 1 season, winning by a margin that could have been anything he pleased. In the Barcelona episode of The Race F1 Podcast, Mark Hughes, Edd Straw and Scott Mitchell-Malm explain the factors that allowed Verstappen to extend his advantage this weekend, and why Sergio Perez wasn’t capable of doing the same in the other Red Bull. They also imagine the race without Verstappen, and it would have been a glorious one for Mercedes. They look into the breakthrough result for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell and what it means for the rest of the season, as well as Aston Martin and Ferrari’s struggles. 0:00 - Intro 2:34 - Verstappen's dominance 5:43 - Perez's struggles 11:40 - How Mercedes beat Ferrari and Aston Martin 14:21 - Have Mercedes made a step? 19:37 – Will Mercedes close the gap to Red Bull? 22:29 - Ferrari's upgrades 29:57 - Aston's worst weekend 32:54 - Alpine