Max Verstappen has said he was 'very happy' with his final podium finish of the 2018 F1 season after battling sensor issues with his Red Bull and an oily visor.
The Dutchman had started in sixth place on the pink-marked hypersoft and had expected to make a quick getaway from the grid and push the leaders in the opening stint of the race.
Verstappen's RB14 initially ran into problems wehn the lights went out and he dropped back as far as tenth after a water temperature sensor held back the Renault power unit, which saw Verstappen plummet down the order immediately after Turn 1.
The 21-year old eventually fought his way through the field in every sense of the word after making light contact with Esteban Ocon and Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas during his speedy recovery.
In the latter stages of the race, whilst trying to lap his 2019 team-mate Pierre Gasly, the Frenchman's Toro Rosso-Honda was leaking oil and showering the Dutchman behind him.
Verstappen admitted in the cool-down room after the race to victor Lewis Hamilton that he had run out of visor tear-offs which meant every time he used a hand to wipe his visor, it made the problem worse.
"I had a problem off the start," said Verstappen. "Actually, the launch was good but then the engine went into like a safety programme and I had it again on the re-start afterwards.
"It was not easy but we managed to go back into a good position, putting pressure on the guys ahead. I think I stopped quite early but I had to because I was on the hypers.
"Then we managed to keep the supersoft alive and I had good pace. But the last few laps were not that easy as there was a Toro Rosso leaking oil onto my helmet, so I couldn’t really see where I was going, but at the end of course very happy to be third."
Verstappen ends the season in fourth place in the Driver's Championship, just two points Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
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