Piastri trailed pole-sitter Leclerc within the early levels of the 51-lap encounter however overhauled him shortly after the front-runners’ sole pit cease section, with Perez – and ultimately Sainz – becoming a member of them to make it a tense, four-way scrap for honours.
It was Piastri who in the end got here out on high, having expertly defended P1 on a number of events and gained a bit little bit of respiratory area when Leclerc’s tyres light within the closing laps, which pushed the Ferrari into the clutches of Perez and Sainz.
Drama ensued in the beginning of the penultimate lap when a failed cross on Leclerc led to Perez going wheel-to-wheel with Sainz – the pair spectacularly colliding on the run between Turns 2 and three and ending their afternoons within the concrete wall.
Whereas the race ended underneath the Digital Security Automotive, there was no stopping the celebrations for McLaren and Piastri, who mirrored on “probably the most nerve-racking afternoon of my life” to bag a second Grand Prix win and assist McLaren transfer to the highest of the constructors’ championship.
Behind Piastri and Leclerc, a giant winner from the conflict between Perez and Sainz was George Russell, who took an unlikely podium in his Mercedes, whereas Lando Norris – on another technique from P15 – handed title rival Max Verstappen for P4 late within the race.
Fernando Alonso had a lonely afternoon in his Aston Martin, being promoted to sixth place with the drama forward, whereas Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto constructed on Williams’s sturdy qualifying show to attain a worthwhile haul of factors for the Grove-based outfit.
Lewis Hamilton made it a factors end for Mercedes after his engine-related back-of-the-grid begin, with the ultimate reward of the day going to Haas stand-in Ollie Bearman, who impressively completed simply forward of skilled teammate Nico Hulkenberg.
Pierre Gasly additionally rose from the rear of the sector to take twelfth, having been disqualified from qualifying, adopted by RB’s Daniel Ricciardo, Kick Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu and Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon – the latter two recovering from energy unit penalties.
Valtteri Bottas was the ultimate finisher within the different Sauber, with Perez and Sainz ending the race on the sidelines alongside Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda, who clashed on the opening lap to depart the previous with a puncture and the latter with automotive harm.
Mario Isola, Motorsport Director, Pirelli:
