Verstappen stepped over on the McLaren driver as Norris was attempting to overtake, resulting in a collision that cost him ten seconds. The British national was compelled to retire.
A heated duel that lasted several laps culminated in a contentious conclusion as both drivers criticized each other’s driving.
Mercedes hadn’t triumphed since the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix until Russell’s victory. In the last few laps, Oscar Piastri of McLaren put some pressure on him, but he managed to hold onto the lead.
Fifth-place finisher Verstappen maintained the position despite his penalty because Nico Hulkenberg’s Haas was 23.7 seconds behind.
Before his last pit stop, Verstappen had a seven-second lead over Norris and looked to be coasting to victory. However, the McLaren was creeping in on the Red Bull, and the world champion was complaining in the last few laps of that stint that his tires were losing grip.
However, Verstappen had a poor stop when they both stopped together for their last stops, and Red Bull’s decision to fit a pair of medium tires that had only been used for three laps while Norris had a new set created the conditions for a grandstand finish.
