Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes (P2) – 8.5/10
The youngster drove like a seasoned veteran on a track that severely punished the W17’s high tyre degradation. Pouncing on Verstappen’s sluggish start, Antonelli took the lead and commanded the early stages. Though he couldn’t hold off Red Bull's raw pace once the track dried, he managed restart delays with total maturity to extend his championship lead.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull (P1) – 9.5/10
Verstappen’s race started disastrously with an engine software bug that caused his car to bog down off the line. Undeterred, he kept his head, picked his moments as the track dried, and sliced past Russell and Antonelli to reclaim the lead. He navigated technical gremlins and late Safety Car restarts flawlessly to claim victory. Peak Verstappen resilience.
