The Ferraris and McLarens picked the mediums for the start, with the Mercedes drivers and Max Verstappen starting on hards, looking to go longer in the first stint.
Tsunoda, Albon, Ricciardo, Guanyu and Hülkenberg also started on mediums, with the rest — including Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso — joining the Mercedes drivers and Verstappen on hards.
Although Carlos Sainz got a better launch, Oscar Piastri fended off the Spaniard into turn 1 and held position. However, the Ferrari driver picked up damage and ended up with a puncture as there was contact on exit with the Australian’s sidepod, almost going into the wall at turn 4. He resumed but dropped to the back — or so it seemed.
On the run up the hill towards turns 2, Sergio Perez had a massive accident as he was turned around by Kevin Magnussen who tried to stick his car in where it was not possible. Nico Hülkenberg also got taken out as the out of control Red Bull came across the track and took him out. All 3 drivers were out on the spot but all of them walked way without injury.
At turn 7 before the red flag was thrown, Esteban Ocon had a massive lunge at Gasly. As Ocon did not leave space on the exit after getting ahead, there was contact on exit and car number 31 was thrown a long way into the air. He sustained damage and Alpine pulled his car into the box to try and fix it, but the car was too broken to continue.
Ocon was handed a 10-second penalty, but it will be converted into a 5-place grid drop for Canada.
Lewis Hamilton got a better launch than Max Verstappen but the Dutchman managed to hold off his rival as he went around the outside at turn 1.
With the debris needing to be cleared and barrier repairs required, there was a lengthy stoppage.
The order on the restart was the same as the grid positions as Zhou Guanyu had not gone through Sector 1. It let Carlos Sainz off the hook.
LEC, PIA, SAI, NOR, RUS, VER, HAM, TSU, ALB, GAS, STR, RIC, ALO, SAR, BOT, ZHO was how it looked on the restart with Ocon, Perez, Hülkenberg and Magnussen out.
Everyone switched tyres, with the Mercedes, Verstappen, Gasly, Stroll and Alonso the runners on mediums.Alonso jumped Ricciardo for P12, with Bottas getting Sargeant for 14th. Valtteri Bottas pitted for hards at the back and smashed in a 1:16.561 to go almost 4s quicker than race leader Leclerc as he was in clear air.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll boxed at the end of lap 43 and switched to hards, staying in P11 thanks to Fernando Alonso backing up the cars behind him. The Canadian was in again 7 laps later as he picked up a puncture, hitting the wall on the inside of the Nouvelle Chicane.
The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton pitted on lap 52 from P7 as he had a massive gap to Yuki Tsunoda behind him. Verstappen responded a lap later and stayed ahead, with the British driver having a cautious outlap.
With Logan Sargeant running out of rear tyres, Valtteri Bottas made a pass into turn 5 as the Sauber took P13.On his softs, Strop overtook Guanyu through the tunnel, and he overtook Sargeant into turn 1 on the next lap for 14th.
The Floridian used the leaders coming through to pass Zhou Guanyu for P15.
In the closing laps, Leclerc pulled out a massive gap to Piastri, winning by almost 8s. Carlos Sainz rounded out the podium spots.
Norris, Russell, Verstappen, Hamilton, Tsunoda, Albon and Gasly completed the points scoring positions.
