Verstappen enjoyed duel with Hamilton: "This will continue"

"Towards the end yes," Verstappen said prior to the podium ceremony when asked by Martin Brundle if he had been able to enjoy it a little. Verstappen lost the lead early in the race.

First stint tricky for Verstappen

Moreover, conditions were anything but ideal in the first stint. "At the beginning, It was super difficult out there with the wind. One lap you had a good balance and the other you were sliding around. On the hard tyres they were pushing hard behind. But when I stopped and had to work hard for it," he explains.

When Verstappen's undercut was successful, Hamilton and Bottas turned up the pressure. "When we made the first pit stop then you could as they were pushing me on the hard tyres behind but then when we made the call to do the two stopper, luckily in the end it paid off. We had to work hard for it, but very rewarding."

A fierce battle with Mercedes will continue

Red Bull's driver also picked up the extra World Championship point for the fastest lap of the day and so has extended his lead in the World Championship. Verstappen, however, remains cautious. "The whole race we were fighting with each other. This will be the case throughout the season."