Max Verstappen doesn't need a dominant car to stay on course for a fourth straight Formula One title.

The Dutchman proved that on Sunday when he turned in a perfectly executed performance to fend off a hard-charging Lando Norris and win the Spanish Grand Prix.

"We should have won today," Norris said. "We had the quickest car."

Mercedes and Norris' McLaren had both closed the gap with Verstappen's Red Bull in recent races, and Norris was gunning for a win after edging out Verstappen in qualifying to take pole position.

But the three-time world champion muscled past Norris right off the starting grid, overtook early leader George Russell's Mercedes and never looked back.

Verstappen was able to muster just enough pace over the final laps to cross first while Norris had to settle for second place.

Lewis Hamilton was third. It was the first podium of 2024 for the seven-time world champion, who is in his last season with Mercedes before joining Ferrari next year.

Verstappen said that his moves to get past Norris and Russell so early proved crucial as he looked to build an advantage and keep the hard-charging Norris at bay.

"What made the race was the beginning, taking the lead on lap two and eking out the gap a little bit," Verstappen said. "Lando and McLaren were very, very fast today. We drove an aggressive strategy, but it played out at the end."

Verstappen got his seventh win in 10 races this season and claimed his third straight victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalonia. It was also the 61st of his career.

Verstappen has 219 points. Norris moved into second place with 150, overtaking Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who has 148 points after finishing fifth in Sunday's race.