Max Verstappen and Red Bull-Honda completely turned around a weekend that seemed compromised after the Sprint Race. The breakthrough came in qualifying, where Verstappen initially secured pole position, only to have it revoked and dropped to second. However, the Dutch driver responded with grit, ultimately securing a hard-fought yet well-deserved victory through impeccable race management.
The toughest challenge came from Lando Norris, who proved to be a persistent thorn in Verstappen’s side in his McLaren-Mercedes. The battle began at a distance, with fast laps being traded relentlessly, before escalating into a direct duel following the first safety car. Norris attempted an attack, but Verstappen fended him off calmly at Turn 1, leaving just enough room on the outside without overstepping.
A pivotal moment was Norris receiving a penalty for failing to slow adequately during a brief yellow flag period on the main straight. This costly mistake led to a 10-second stop-and-go penalty—arguably excessive—which ultimately pushed Norris out of the top positions. From that point, Verstappen managed the race comfortably, underlining how Red Bull had successfully improved the RB20's performance between Friday and Saturday.
Ferrari maximized every opportunity available. While second place initially seemed unreachable, Charles Leclerc showed unwavering determination. The Monegasque driver won his duel with Oscar Piastri, capitalized on a pit-stop mistake by George Russell’s Mercedes team, and ultimately benefitted from Norris's penalty. Leclerc collected crucial points, closing the gap to just 8 points behind Norris in the driver standings. Additionally, Ferrari, aided by Carlos Sainz’s sixth-place finish, reduced the gap to McLaren in the constructors' championship to just 21 points ahead of the decisive Abu Dhabi round.
Sainz, however, faced misfortune with a tire puncture likely caused by debris from Alexander Albon’s Williams mirror, which fell onto the main straight. The situation, initially ignored by race director Rui Marques, escalated when Valtteri Bottas struck the debris, creating further chaos. It was an avoidable incident that ultimately triggered a safety car period.
For Mercedes, the weekend ended with mixed emotions. George Russell finished in a disappointing fourth place, while Lewis Hamilton had a weekend to forget, struggling to find rhythm and consistently underperforming. In contrast, Pierre Gasly delivered another stellar result, finishing fifth and securing vital points that propelled Alpine to sixth place in the constructors' standings.
Esteban Ocon’s race ended abruptly on the first corner after a collision with Nico Hulkenberg, which also eliminated the unfortunate Franco Colapinto. This race marked the end of Ocon’s time with Alpine, as Jack Doohan will replace him in Abu Dhabi in preparation for next season.
Fernando Alonso delivered a gritty performance to secure seventh place for Aston Martin, while teammate Lance Stroll retired after a collision with Albon. Over at Sauber, joy finally arrived as Zhou Guanyu earned the team’s first points of the season with an impressive eighth-place finish. Valtteri Bottas, who had been in the top 10 for much of the race, was overtaken late by the charging Norris.
Kevin Magnussen salvaged Haas’s day with a solid ninth-place finish, compensating for Nico Hulkenberg’s struggles after an unfortunate start and a later spin. However, Haas lost further ground to Alpine in the fight for sixth in the constructors' standings.
Sergio Perez continues to endure a nightmare season. The Mexican driver, miles behind Verstappen, spun out on his own and retired early. The image perfectly encapsulates his difficult 2024 and may very well mark the end of his time with Red Bull.
Racing Bulls failed to deliver, with both Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson far from the points, while Alexander Albon, despite his efforts, dropped out of the top 10 by the final laps.
Everything will be decided in Abu Dhabi, where the final race of the season will determine the remaining battles in the standings. Verstappen and Red Bull have already secured their championships, but the fight for second place remains wide open.
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