The seven-time world champion explained how the setup change made between Sprint Qualifying and the Sprint Race actually resulted in an even worse outcome in terms of the car’s drivability.

"We started from the pit lane because we wanted to explore and make some changes," he said after the race. "They had some things they found on the simulator last night, so we implemented those changes and the car was really in the wrong direction and very, very difficult for whatever reason, clearly for both us."

He then further stressed: "We just don’t have any stability. The rear end is not planted, so it’s sliding, snapping a lot. Then we have bouncing, so when you’re going into corners like Turn 10, the thing starts bouncing, we have a lot of mid-corner understeer, and then you apply the steering and then it snaps and you try to catch it. It’s different between low, medium and high (speed), and it’s a fight like you couldn’t believe."  

The seven-time world champion, speaking over the radio at the end of the race, summed it up with an eloquent: “I don’t know how we made the car worse,” once again highlighting his lack of feel with the SF25, an issue he’s battled almost all season.

Starting from the pit lane, the Brit had made a setup change in a bid to take a different approach in the race — a gamble that ultimately didn’t pay off, as reflected in his final result.