The reigning world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) from the Netherlands came second and the stage was complemented by Russell’s Italian teammate Kimi Antonelli. The leader of the overall ranking is still the Australian Oscar Piastr on McLarene, who took fourth place after a collision with British teammate Land Norris. The race ended under Safety Caro.
Russell has reached his fourth career triumph and premiered this season. Last time he stood at the highest stage in November at Las Vegas VC. Verstappen withdrew six points from a piastri lead. Eighteen -year -old Antonelli recorded his first stage in his career and at the same time became the first Italian on the “crate” since October 2009, when Jarno Trulli took second place to the VC Japan. The stage is also the first double for Mercedes from the Vegas, when the double master Lewis Hamilton was complemented by a double. The fourth Piastri is still the nearest teammate Lando Norris with a loss of 24 points.
Russell benefited from a successful qualification and was able to cover the pole position at the start. In the opening rounds, together with the second Verstappen, the opponent moved away, but the British kept the lead and gradually built a slight lead. On the contrary, the start did not come out to the third Piastri, in front of which he got three and four in front of the cornering section. The Italian gradually moved to Verstappen, but he started the boxes in the box. Mercedes immediately responded and covered the reigning master. Another series was started by the Dutchman in the 32nd round, and this time Mercedes responded with a stop Antonelli, who just did not work out overcut.
The collision of various strategies and drama came 15 laps before the end. McLareny, who stood in the pits later, came to the pace, but he couldn’t overtake anotnelli. The Australian’s team colleague Norris stuck and the trio went several laps together at a high pace. It changed 4 laps before the finish when McLareny’s tight duel on the back straight and Norris was impatient on the finish line. The team colleague tried it from the left, which did not estimate the lack of space, lost the front wing and hanging the wheel and ended up in the wall.
It was the only incident on a narrow and fast circuit where the race normally accompanies the Safety Caru. He also came out on Sunday and the riders pulled to the finish. Nevertheless, an interesting situation occurred between Russell and Versell – the leader’s leader braked behind a security vehicle, the Dutchman was not careful and overtaken him, which Russell immediately reported to the team as an offense. Veratappen currently has eleven penalty points and only one is missing to the distance for the next race.
The best six was complemented by Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton. His team was on a similar strategy to McLaren, but at the end he did not make a high pace. The seventh ended after a successful qualification, veteran Fernando Alonso and the good Saturday was also benefited by Nico Hülkenberg in Sauber, who was able to keep the pace with leading teams. The unconventional one -dose strategy eventually scored points for the ninth Esteban Ocon in Haas and the tenth Carlos Sainz (Williams).
