Sainz credited his good start and strong pace but acknowledged his inability to regain his position against Lewis Hamilton. Despite George Russell’s efforts to convince Mercedes to let him stay ahead of Hamilton while Sainz closed in, Russell eventually yielded to the team’s demand, allowing Hamilton through.
“In the closing laps, overtaking proved quite challenging,” Sainz commented regarding his pursuit of Hamilton. “Charles struggled to pass Russell, and I was in Hamilton’s dirty air with similar tire age. Passing was always going to be tough, but at least I managed to overtake George, and we had a spirited battle.”
