Kimi Antonelli has won his third consecutive F1 race for Mercedes, holding off a late charge by defending drivers champion Lando Norris, as McLaren showed its upgrades were effective, taking second and third podium positions after Oscar Piastri overtook Charles Leclerc, who spun out on the final lap. Race stewards later issued the Monegasque driver a 20 second penalty for driving his damaged vehicle after it was damaged in the spinout collision, dropping him from P6 to P8.
It wasn't Leclerc's first look at a spinout Sunday. Once again he got off the grid start better than anyone and he and Max Verstappen were wheel to wheel heading into turn one, with Verstappen spinning out. He maintained control after a 360 and rejoined the race, but dropped from P2 to P7 immediately. Verstappen, who fans voted as having the drive of the day, opted for an early pit strategy, going the last 51 laps on hard tires. They wore too soon for him to keep podium position, but his Red Bull finished P5, right behind Mercedes' George Russell.
Ferrari did get P6 after Leclerc's penalty, with Lewis Hamilton taking it. Alpine's Franco Colapinto took P7 and Williams, which had been struggling at the bottom of the field throuigh the first four races, proved their upgrades are working, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon finishing P9 and P10.
My take: McLaren's back after their upgrades have them now equal with Mercedes and Ferrari. Probably top of podium if they weren't undercut by Antonelli on his tire change. Full marks though to Antonelli, who drove a great race. At one point, with just seven laps remaining, Norris was inside a second on him, but Antonelli did some great defensive driving until tire degradation dropped the McLaren to finish 3.5 seconds back. Great race.
THE ASYLUM
Antonelli wins again
Kimi Antonelli has won his third consecutive F1 race for Mercedes, holding off a late charge by defending drivers champion Lando Norris, as McLaren showed its upgrades were effective, taking second and third podium positions after Oscar Piastri overtook Charles Leclerc, who spun out on the final lap. Race stewards later issued the Monegasque driver a 20 second penalty for driving his damaged vehicle after it was damaged in the spinout collision, dropping him from P6 to P8.
It wasn't Leclerc's first look at a spinout Sunday. Once again he got off the grid start better than anyone and he and Max Verstappen were wheel to wheel heading into turn one, with Verstappen spinning out. He maintained control after a 360 and rejoined the race, but dropped from P2 to P7 immediately. Verstappen, who fans voted as having the drive of the day, opted for an early pit strategy, going the last 51 laps on hard tires. They wore too soon for him to keep podium position, but his Red Bull finished P5, right behind Mercedes' George Russell.
Ferrari did get P6 after Leclerc's penalty, with Lewis Hamilton taking it. Alpine's Franco Colapinto took P7 and Williams, which had been struggling at the bottom of the field throuigh the first four races, proved their upgrades are working, with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon finishing P9 and P10.
My take: McLaren's back after their upgrades have them now equal with Mercedes and Ferrari. Probably top of podium if they weren't undercut by Antonelli on his tire change. Full marks though to Antonelli, who drove a great race. At one point, with just seven laps remaining, Norris was inside a second on him, but Antonelli did some great defensive driving until tire degradation dropped the McLaren to finish 3.5 seconds back. Great race.
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