Despite the menacing presence of black clouds over the racetrack a few minutes before the start of the Sprint, the rain didn't come to affect what was an exciting 'mini-race' and certainly beyond expectations.
After a non-idyllic clutch release by pole man Max Verstappen, the Dutchman was overtaken by his rival Leclerc, all surrounded by an impressive roar from the crowd. The reigning champion then almost risked finishing in third position behind Lando Norris, who confirmed that a McLaren is recovering despite the numerous problems encountered in the second free practice session.
A few corners after the start there is a contact between Zhou and Gasly pirately, with the Chinese who is forced to retire and the AlphaTauri rider who punctures the front right tyre. Immediately Safety car; at the restart Leclerc starts before the 'expected' and manages to create a sufficient gap to guarantee himself immunity from the pursuer's mobile wing. On lap 16, Verstappen began to drop below second, but he was still unable to launch an attack. Due to graining on Leclerc's front right towards the end of the Sprint, Verstappen is getting closer and closer, in fact the Red Bulls didn't suffer from tire degradation like Leclerc and, in the end, held a pace superior to that of the Monegasque. In the twentieth lap Verstappen is glued to Leclerc, to the point of being able to overtake him even before the braking of the tambourine curve. Perez, demonstrating today's superiority of the Milton Keynes car, arrives in third position, gaining 4, and getting close to Leclerc during the last lap, who probably also lifted his foot realizing he didn't have the pace to closely follow the winner.
At the restart, Magnussen makes lots of waves on the main straight to warm up the medium tires (one of the few that doesn't have the softs), and is warned with a black and white flag; the Dane will then arrive in eighth position after starting fourth. Same fate for Alonso (ninth), who found himself in a lot of trouble losing 4 positions during the race.
The Mercedes struggled a lot, almost never framed, crossing the finish line in eleventh and fourteenth position, with Russell ahead of Hamilton.
Great comeback by Carlos Sainz, who after starting from tenth place, coldly puts together a series of overtakings and puts himself in fourth place in view of tomorrow's race.
The McLarens did better considering that the team collected practically zero data in dry conditions due to the problems encountered on the two cars in FP2: Norris and Ricciardo respectively fifth and sixth.
Well done Bottas who gained a position finishing seventh, after losing a few positions at the start, not a novelty this year at Alfa Romeo.
Excellent result for Mick Schumacher, who starting twelfth, manages to overtake Russel and Vettel (13th), finishing in tenth position.
The AlphaTauris of Tsunoda and Gasly finish 12th and 17th, while Stroll is 15th, Ocon 16th, and the Williamses arrive in 18th and 19th with Albon and Latifi.
