Alex Albon started from pit lane as Williams changed power unit elements on his car ahead of the Grand Prix. All 19 drivers on the grid picked softs for the start, with Albon going for the mediums.
Lando Norris got this elbows out at the start, holding off Verstappen after the initial launch. However, George Russell took full advantage of that fight, getting in the slipstream and sweeping around the outside at turn 1 to take the lead. The Dutchman was up the inside and Norris had to back out, dropping to P3.
Piastri passed Ocon into turn 5 for P8, with Nico Hülkenberg making an excellent start to gain three spots to move into 10th.
Russell’s time out front did not last long, however. Verstappen stayed within DRS range of the Mercedes in the opening laps and used it to pass into turn 1 on lap 3 with a beautiful move around the outside.
Carlos Sainz took P5 from Charles Leclerc in the battle between the Ferraris at the start of lap 3. He got DRS and tried to sweep around the outside into turn 1, with the pair making light contact and forcing the Spaniard go around the bollard as he failed to give Leclerc space at the apex.
Fernando Alonso lost two places on the opening lap as he got tagged in the opening corner, and he continued to fall away as Stroll and Bottas passed him.
Zhou Guanyu and Yuki Tsunoda boxed at the end of lap 9 and set off a chain reaction in the midfield.
In the battle for P10, Sergio Perez overtook Nico Hülkenberg on lap 11.
There was a bad stop for Pierre Gasly as a 6.7s one saw him drop behind teammate Esteban Ocon.
George Russell was the first of the key players to pit and had a 5.3s stop, almost losing track position to Carlos Sainz. Hamilton responded a lap later but fell behind the Spaniard. However, he regained the spot on lap 19 as he got aggressive at turns 1 and 2 to make a nice pass.
Max Verstappen came in from the lead on lap 17, handing it over to Lando Norris. The Dutchman comfortably held track position over George Russell.
Kevin Magnussen was handed a 5-second time penalty for a false start.
Norris, Leclerc and Piastri all extended their opening stints, with the Australian pitting on lap 21, coming out in P11. The lead McLaren and Ferrari drivers in the championship boxed on laps 23 and 24, coming out in P5 and P7 respectively.
Verstappen led Russell, Hamilton, Sainz, Norris, Gasly, Leclerc, Ocon, Perez and Piastri was the top 10 after everyone made a stop.
Norris used DRS to easily pass Sainz on the main straight for P4 on lap 27 on his much fresher mediums. Five laps later he did the same to Lewis Hamilton as the Mercedes started to lose the rear tyres.
The other McLaren of Oscar Piastri also made passes. He overtook Hülkenberg, Perez and Ocon to move himself into P8. Sergio Perez also made a quality pass on the Frenchman to take P9.
Verstappen, Russell, Norris, Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, Gasly, Piastri, Ocon and Hülkenberg was the top 10 halfway through as Perez pitted at the end of lap 32 for mediums.
Piastri continued his charge as he passed Gasly for P7 on lap 34.
Lando Norris and George Russell had a superb and clean fight for P2. The McLaren got the Mercedes driver out of position through turns 1 and 2 as Russell had a small snap, with Norris sweeping around the outside at turn 3. However, Russell was not done as he came back with a brilliant move around the outside into T4. Unfortunately for Russell, he was running out of rear tyres and Norris got the switchback our of turn 5 to take P2.
Russell and Sainz boxed from P3 and P5 at the end of lap 37 and fitted hards.
Hamilton was the next of the main runners to come in, pitting for used softs six laps after his teammate and Sainz, coming out narrowly behind the Spaniard. Verstappen followed a lap later as he put on new softs.
At the start of lap 46, Hamilton easily overtook Sainz on the main straight for P6, with Russell also passing Piastri for 4th. Nico Hülkenberg and Yuki Tsunoda were given a 5-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
The McLaren of Norris came in on lap 47 for softs. Despite a 3.6s stop, he rejoined just ahead of George Russell for P2.
Verstappen, Norris, Russell, Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, Perez, Piastri, Gasly and Ocon was the top 10 with 20 laps remaining.
Perez was on a 3-stop and pitted again at the end of lap 49 to use his new soft tyres. The Mexican quickly cleared Ocon for P9.
On lap 52, Hamilton used his soft tyre to go around the outside of Russell into turn 1 to take 3rd place.
There was a hairy moment for Alex Albon as he had a snap in turn 4 and lost the rear, taking a trip through the gravel.
On the final lap, Perez passed Gasly for P8.
Despite closing the gap to 2s, Lando Norris fell short as Max Verstappen claimed his seventh win of 2024. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium spots for his first one in a Grand Prix this year.
Russell, Leclerc, Sainz, Piastri, Perez, Gasly and Ocon completed the points scorers.
