Regarding the decision not to pit during the Virtual Safety Car intervention, Verstappen explained that the tires were still in good condition, and the team had calculated that it made sense to continue without pitting. He felt confident in his tire life advantage and gradually closed in on Leclerc and Sainz after overtaking them.
While Verstappen’s decision to pit for the fastest lap raised some eyebrows, both he and the team believed it was a calculated risk worth taking.
