Sainz eventually made his second and final pit stop on Lap 39. While he managed to pass one Mercedes, George Russell, his final position was P6. Charles Leclerc crossed the finish line at P4, with Hamilton settling at P5.
Reflecting on the race, Sainz expressed, “Obviously, the undercut cost us a position with Lewis. We had a strong pace today with good tire degradation. However, it seems the team decided to prioritize protecting Charles’ position. While it would have been exciting to defend, the team’s interests come first, and I played a sacrificial role in a way.”