Max Verstappen claimed third place at the finish line after Kimi Antonelli crashed out of the race on the opening of the 24th lap, according to F1online.
Red Bull had previously weighed a double podium finish against challenging Lando Norris for the race lead.
Team engineers instructed Isack Hadjar to swap positions with Verstappen on lap 35 after the young French driver lost 1.5 seconds of clean air due to an on-track mistake. Hadjar immediately complied with the team order. F1online reported that Hadjar requested assurance from his engineer that the team would return second place if Verstappen failed to overtake Norris.
Verstappen pitted earlier than his teammate, gaining ten seconds of clean air over a five-lap stint on new soft tyres. Those exact ten seconds separated the two Red Bull drivers under the checkered flag, though rain later prevented Hadjar from mounting a late charge on fresher rubber. F1online noted that Hadjar kept pace with Verstappen without major difficulty prior to the pit stops.
Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies stated that the team intended to swap the drivers back if the cars remained close. “Mysmím si, že by sme to spravili,” Mekies said, as reported by F1online. “Keby autá zostali bližšie pri sebe, spravili by sme to, pretože Isack mal veľmi dobrú rýchlosť a po obrátení poradia sa držal Maxa.”
Weather conditions ultimately ruled out returning the position to Hadjar in the closing stages. “Preteky sa však vyvinuli inak a začalo pršať,” Mekies explained to F1online. “Autá boli od seba veľmi ďaleko, takže by to nedávalo zmysel.”
Lando Norris held an unassailable lead at the front, while George Russell trailed nearly ten seconds behind. Despite the missed position swap, Mekies praised the cooperation between the team’s drivers. “Musím však povedať, že Max a Isack veľmi dobre spolupracovali, aby nám doručili tento výsledok,” he added, according to F1online.
Did you know?
Why did Red Bull swap Verstappen and Hadjar during the race?
Team engineers switched the two Red Bull drivers on lap 35 to give Max Verstappen a clear run at race leader Lando Norris after Isack Hadjar lost time following an on-track mistake.
Did Red Bull return the position to Hadjar before the finish?
No, the team did not return the position. Team boss Laurent Mekies said increasing rain and a large gap between the cars made a position swap illogical in the closing laps.
What was the final gap between the Red Bull teammates?
Ten seconds separated Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar under the checkered flag at the end of the grand prix.
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