Russell beat McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Verstappen’s first problem was a near-slip with Norris as he exited his pitbox during the first pit stop cycle, but the stewards decided that was not worth a penalty. Verstappen’s slow second stop left Norris close behind after 15 laps. Norris charged forward at Turn 3 on lap 59 but had to give up the position when he ran wide. But their battle for the lead broke out there a few laps later, the pair colliding at Turn 3 and both suffering tire punctures.
That opens the door for Russell to claim the second F1 win of his career. Polesitter Verstappen took the lead into Turn 1, ahead of Norris and Russell. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) fought Sainz hard in the opening corners, while Piastri’s McLaren was forced out by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez at Turn 4 on the first lap and dropped to seventh. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was forced to pit after his contract with Piastri expired at the first corner and he needed a new front wing. As Verstappen quickly pulled out of Norris’s DRS range, Hamilton overtook Russell for third at Turn 3 on lap three, but Russell passed him at the following corner.
Sainz overtook Hamilton for fourth place at Turn 3 on the seventh lap, after the team asked Lewis to let him pass, while Piastri impressed by driving around the outside of Perez at Turn 6 one lap later. Hamilton was the first leader entering lap 22, but crossed the white line at the pitlane entrance, followed by Perez. Hamilton was penalized 5 seconds for the violation, while Perez was also penalized an additional 5 seconds for speeding in the pitlane.
Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin pushed Zhou Guanyu (Sauber) off the track at turn 3 on the 20th lap and was given a 10-second penalty. Verstappen was 5.7 seconds ahead when the two leaders decided to stop on the same lap, with Norris having to brake to avoid Verstappen as he left his box, which put Piastri in the lead. Piastri pitted a few laps later, returning to sixth position.
Verstappen was investigated for an unsafe drop and a seven-second lead, but was cleared by the stewards. Russell finished third, choosing more mediums in this session, while the others switched to hard mediums. Russell began his second pitstop cycle on lap 47, switching to hard mode. Piastri passed Hamilton for fifth place a lap later. Verstappen pitted from the lead on lap 51 with a 7.4 second lead, but lost time as the left rear tire failed to come off on the first attempt, and then Red Bull had to hold him back letting Norris pass in the lane. That puts Norris – whose new tires average compared to Verstappen’s used – within three seconds.
Verstappen locked up and almost lost control at Turn 4 on the out lap, which helped put Norris within his DRS range on the 54th lap. He was close to Turn 3 during the trip tour, forcing Verstappen – who complained of “no grip” – to defend in the braking zone. Norris broke away at turn 3 on the 59th lap but had to give it back when he ran wide on the final lap, with the judges noting that he had exceeded the track limits. Four laps later, Norris crashed into him again at Turn 3, but Verstappen went off the track at the exit. On the next lap, they collided at Turn 3, both punctured and crawled back to the pits. Norris was forced off the field due to damage from the clash.
That gave Russell the lead, as the virtual safety car was required to clear the track. He was 3 seconds ahead of Piastri, who had Sainz close behind. Hamilton ran fourth, with Verstappen back in sixth place after changing a punctured left rear tyre, but was given a 10-second penalty for causing a collision. Russell inherited a 2.6-second victory over Piastri, Sainz, Hamilton and Verstappen. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) beat Perez in the battle for sixth place, ahead of Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Daniel Ricciardo (RB) and Pierre Gasly (Alpine).
