Oscar Piastri started on pole ahead of Lando Norris with Max Verstappen lurking behind, while Lance Stroll's injury meant the grid was made up of one car fewer than usual

Just as the race appeared settled after the final round of pit stops — kicked off by Verstappen’s third when he was just a few seconds adrift of Norris — a safety car period intervened, caused by Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes engine expiring smokily.

With five laps to go, Piastri held his lead from the restart and Leclerc pounced on Verstappen, who almost completely lost the rear as he came out of the final corner, his hard tyres having no grip. Verstappen then had contact with Mercedes’s George Russell as the pair went through turn one and Verstappen went off but held his place.