Isack Hadjar, Red Bull (P6) – 6.5/10
Starting third, Hadjar looked poised for a podium fight, but mechanical gremlins had other ideas. A post-pitstop throttle bug compromised his speed, leaving him defenceless against the late-charging Ferraris and McLarens. Sixth feels like a letdown given his grid spot, but he handled the bad luck maturely.
Lando Norris, McLaren (P5) – 7/10
Norris played the long game with a brave one-stop strategy from eighth on the grid. He sliced into the top four during the pit sequence, but his worn hard tyres turned him into a sitting duck over the final ten laps. A heroic defensive effort, but fifth was the absolute limit of McLaren’s rubber strategy.
