Liam Lawson – Racing Bulls (P18) 4/10
Lawson’s aggressive style backfired, proving that sometimes, you can't simply penalize your way to the points. After a "conservative" qualifying strategy, he tried to muscle his way through the midfield but was justly slapped with a five-second penalty for erratic driving while defending. The penalty, combined with high tyre wear, dropped him straight out of contention. A messy race that highlighted his raw speed but also his need for a more mature, penalty-free Sunday.
Isack Hadjar – Racing Bulls (P17) 5/10
The rookie had a quiet evening compared to his teammate. Starting P9, Hadjar spent his opening stint - just 14 laps - among the top ten but failed to make any significant progress thereafter. He struggled to unlock the pace he showed in flashes during practice, getting stuck in a DRS train he couldn't break. It was another learning experience for Max Verstappen's future teammate, but finishing a lap down and behind both Williams cars was definitely an underperformance.
