[12] Kimi Räikkönen returned for this event,[13] after missing the previous two races due to testing positive for coronavirus.

[16] The stewards investigated the incident and ruled that Verstappen was predominantly to blame, and awarded him a three-place grid penalty for this event.

[7] Carlos Sainz Jr. took the lead from Lando Norris into turn two, while Lewis Hamilton fell down the order to sixth.

Hamilton recovered to second, coming within DRS range of Norris as rain began to fall on parts of the track.

Kimi Räikkönen, George Russell, and Valtteri Bottas were the first to pit for intermediate tyres on lap 48, allowing all three drivers to move up into the points by race end.

Further up the order, Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo followed suit on lap 49, as did Sainz who had dropped from third to seventh in the deteriorating conditions.

Hamilton initially stayed out to battle Norris for the lead before switching to intermediate tyres the following lap, after which it became clear the rain would continue.

Despite running off the track multiple times, Norris refused to stop for intermediates against the advice of his engineers, having accumulated a fifty-second gap over third place.

[39] The 1998 and 1999 Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen felt patience was the key factor in Hamilton securing the race victory.

[42] McLaren said it would launch a review of the procedures which contributed to Norris not pitting earlier for intermediate tyres when the rain started to fall.

[45][46] Formula One Managing Director Ross Brawn praised Norris for his weekend performance, though felt his inexperience showed in the tricky conditions during the race.

Brawn defended Norris, pointing out that there were occasions when drivers were correct to ignore team orders and follow their instincts.

[47] Former Renault Formula One driver-turned-analyst and radio commentator Jolyon Palmer said he felt the responsibility for not pitting Norris soon enough for wet weather tyres lay with the McLaren team.

[48] Seven-times Grand Prix race winner Juan Pablo Montoya said that Norris's performance meant he now would know he could get the job done.

[50] Alfa Romeo Racing team boss Frédéric Vasseur felt Norris should have been given a time penalty for his pit entry infringement.

[51] Journalist David Tremayne praised Norris for his performance and said Norris should learn and take heart from the experiences of past British Formula One champions, such as James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, and Damon Hill, all of whom had to deal with disappointment of near misses trying to get their first Grand Prix wins before achieving them.