- Pole Position: Oscar Piastri
- Winner: Max Verstappen
- Fastest Lap: Max Verstappen
Verstappen vs McLaren
It’s clear that McLaren’s pace is currently the best on the F1 grid. That makes Max’s performance phenomenal. From Turn 1 after the start, Max managed to take the lead following a poor start by Piastri. Let’s remember that these two are the favorites in the F1 standings, and each of their battles has an impact on their positions.
The Dutchman held the lead from lap one and never let it go. Piastri tried everything to close the gap, but after several laps without success, the team decided to call him into the pits in an attempt to trick Max into doing the same.
The four-time world champion stayed out on track, and then it was Lando Norris’s turn to try and cut the gap to Verstappen. The result was the same as his Australian teammate’s.
Finally, Max got lucky when Esteban Ocon’s Haas suffered an engine issue, prompting race control to deploy a Virtual Safety Car. It was an excellent opportunity for the Red Bull driver to pit and still keep his position.
Unfortunately for Max, what many F1 fans feared happened — a full Safety Car bunched the field up, making things harder for him. The two McLarens were right behind the Red Bull, completely changing the race dynamic… or so it seemed. Max managed to build a solid gap after the Safety Car period, and with Oscar on worn tires, it wasn’t difficult for him to create the separation needed to win the race.
Ferrari, Williams and Mercedes
Since James Vowles arrived at Williams, the team has upgraded in every aspect. An excellent F1 driver pairing and a car with solid race pace. Alex Albon managed to hold onto third place for a considerable amount of time. The Thai driver finished in 5th position but left with a positive feeling for the Formula 1 team.
Ferrari being Ferrari. No mistakes, no bad strategies during the race. Both drivers did what they could with the options they had and delivered a solid, if unremarkable, performance.
The most heartbreaking moment of the weekend was seeing Kimi Antonelli’s retirement. F1 news during the week had focused on the rookie, his home race, and how he had invited his classmates and teachers to watch him race. The Italian driver suffered a DNF that forced him out of the race. He had been doing well before the Safety Car, keeping Hamilton behind him for a good stretch of the race.
Russell lost positions after his pit stop, and although he was fighting for third during the first half of the race, he ended up in 7th position.
The next race on the F1 calendar will be next week, when the Monaco GP takes place — and F1 Sprint News will have full coverage of the event.