Red Bull continued to dominate races, but McLaren’s Lando Norris managed to upstage Ferrari.
The Chinese Grand Prix marked its return in the post-Covid era with numerous twists and turns, including several safety car incidents. Max Verstappen enjoyed yet another near-perfect weekend, securing pole position and winning the season’s first Sprint. His dominance was on full display as he crossed the finish line more than 13 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris. In our report, we will overlook Verstappen’s success and concentrate more on the Red Bull team’s performance.
F1 Chinese GP: Red Bull — Hit
It was a near-perfect race weekend for Red Bull. Yes, the Max Verstappen show continued at the Shanghai International Circuit, but kudos to both the drivers as they breached the 1 minute 33 second lap time while the rest were stuck in 1 minute 34 seconds in the final qualifying session. The team could be slightly disheartened that it wasn’t a 1-2 Red Bull finish as Sergio Perez came third. What can one say about the defending champion Verstappen who did a double, actually a triple, if you include starting from the pole, the course looks set for his fourth world championship title.
F1 Chinese GP: Lando Norris — Hit
After agreeing to a multi-year contract and extending his partnership with McLaren in February, Lando Norris is consistently finishing in the top 6 including two podium finishes in Australia and China. The Briton finished third and second respectively. Despite not being favored at this circuit, Norris showed his maturity by quickly adjusting to the wet conditions at Sprint and finishing a respectable sixth. He showed his driving talent by managing to split the two Red Bulls and finishing second. During the race, he kept Perez at bay, crossing the finish line over six seconds ahead of the Red Bull.
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F1 Chinese GP: Nico Hulkenberg — Hit
Nico Hulkenberg continued his good form as he finished tenth on race day scoring a valuable point for Haas. In the last four races, the German only once finished outside the top 10. Currently, Hulkenberg ranks 13th in the driver’s standings with four points, having only scored one point in the 2023 season. He also had a great qualifying session, starting ninth on the grid. However, in the Sprint, his teammate Kevin Magnussen outperformed him, finishing in ninth place..Â
F1 Chinese GP: Mercedes — Miss
The qualifying session was nothing short of a disappointment for Mercedes as they continue to perform as a middle-rung team. George Russell managed to secure eighth position while Lewis Hamilton’s nightmare continued as he started from18th place on the grid. The seven-time world champion used all his experience and skill in the Sprint and sprung a surprise and secured second place. The main focus of the race was to gain positions, and Hamilton did a fantastic job by finishing ninth, over three seconds ahead of Hulkenberg.
F1 Chinese GP: Ferrari— Miss
After showing a lot of promise, Ferrari fell flat on its face as it had a mediocre outing at the Chinese Grand Prix. At the start of the season, the Prancing Horse was touted as the real McCoy who would challenge Red Bull for the title, but, as of now, the team has been blowing hot and cold. Carlos Sainz has been on a great run and has only registered a podium, but unfortunately, this came to an end as he finished fifth more than ten seconds behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. Ferrari remains number two in the constructor standings, but they have McLaren breathing down its neck.Â