Putting together a perfect score was tough on a busy sprint weekend with rain and restarts thrown in – but Verstappen and Norris came closest
ALEX KALINAUCKAS
RED BULL
Started 1st -- -- -- -- -- -- Result 1st
9 Misses perfect 10 by qualifying fourth for sprint, unable to switch on intermediate tyres. A used set for start of sprint and energy deployment issue held him back before he sealed win. Nailed GP start and restarts, with a lock-up, visor tear-off flapping about his air intake and late debris clip his only ruffles.
Started 2nd - -- -- -- Result 3rd
5 Felt traffic impacted last SQ3 effort. Struggled for traction early in sprint, then things fell his way with Sainz and Alonso battling. Qualified second for GP, blaming 0.3s gap to pole on poor rhythm. Bad start and pushing too hard early in each stint cost second as fortunes swung around VSC/SC.
MERCEDES
Started 18th --- -- Result 9th
7 Sprint start positioning saw off Norris. Pulled away well but was never stopping Verstappen. Altered set-up to combat low-speed understeer contributed to Q1 mistake at hairpin exit. Steady climb in GP was chewing rear tyres, using gas to boost corner rotation. Great series of Turn 9 passes.
Started 8th -- -- -- -- Result 6th
7 Blamed lost tyre temperature on first SQ2 run for exit. Fell back at sprint start then, as sole soft-tyred runner, passed Bottas and Magnussen in one lap before getting Zhou and a point. Headed Ferraris early in GP; fell back after pushing starting mediums too hard. Mercedes felt SC stops saved race.
FERRARI
Started 6th -- - -- -- - Result 4th
7 Strong early GP pace helped make most of one-stopper, which needed the SC to work. SQ3 crash bent steering. Poor GP start and Sainz Turn 2 defence dropped him behind Russell. Did pounce well on Sainz there in the sprint battles. Turn 1 pass on Russell in GP was beautiful.
Started 7th -- -- -- -- Result 5th
7 Couldn’t get rear tyres warmed in SQ3. Lucky to get away with Q2 crash. Sprint attack on Alonso fine until he got run off. Borderline defence against Leclerc, then got the same at start of GP. Didn’t have Leclerc’s pace on medium rubber but was impressive on race’s longest hard-tyre stint.
McLAREN
Started 4th -- -- -- - Result 2nd
9 Built heat well in
