Isack Hadjar, Red Bull (P6) – 8/10
Hadjar continues his rapid evolution into a top-tier operator. He spent his afternoon fearlessly mixing it up with Mercedes and McLaren machinery, refusing to be intimidated. Aside from some minor brake complaints and being a bit too polite – by his own admittance – in a duel with Hamilton, this was a reasonably strong drive from the young Frenchman.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari (P5) – 7.5/10
An aggressive opening assault looked promising, but Hamilton pushed so hard he forced himself onto an early three-stop strategy that ultimately capsized his podium ambitions. His blockbuster scrap with Verstappen was pure box-office entertainment. Even as the Ferrari faded, his legendary racecraft kept him firmly in the top five.
