Oscar Piastri outperformed his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, achieving a dominant one-two victory at the Chinese Grand Prix. Both Ferrari drivers faced disqualification due to rule violations concerning their cars.
Piastri, starting from pole position, maintained his lead throughout the race, securing his third Formula 1 victory. This win marks a strong comeback after his spin in the previous race in Melbourne.
Norris encountered brake issues in the final laps but managed to hold onto second place, finishing ahead of Russell, who claimed his second consecutive podium this season in third.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton originally finished fifth and sixth, respectively, but were later disqualified for car infringements. This resulted in Ferrari leaving the Shanghai race without any points.
Hamilton`s disqualification was due to excessive wear on the plank under his Ferrari, a similar issue that cost him a second-place finish at the 2023 United States Grand Prix when driving for Mercedes.
Leclerc and Pierre Gasly, who initially finished 11th, were also disqualified for their cars being underweight. Both cars were found to be 1kg below the minimum weight of 800kg.
Leclerc sustained front wing damage early in the race after a minor collision with Hamilton, which persisted throughout. Despite the FIA replacing the damaged wing with a standard one, the car remained under the weight limit.
Esteban Ocon, in fifth, achieved his first points for Haas. Mercedes` Kimi Antonelli finished sixth, and Williams` Alex Albon came in seventh.
British rookie Oliver Bearman, employing an alternative race strategy, made impressive progress to finish eighth.
Following the disqualifications, Aston Martin`s Lance Stroll and Williams` Carlos Sainz were promoted into the points, finishing ninth and tenth respectively.
Chinese Grand Prix Top 10 Results
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- George Russell, Mercedes
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- Esteban Ocon, Alpine
- Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- Alex Albon, Williams
- Oliver Bearman, Haas
- Lance Stroll, Aston Martin
- Carlos Sainz, Williams
Race Summary
Piastri dominated the race, leading nearly every lap except during pit stops, reinforcing his status as a championship contender.
He strategically assisted Norris at the start, allowing Norris to gain second place.
Although Russell briefly overtook Norris after pit stops, Norris quickly reclaimed second position.
Towards the end, Norris faced brake problems and reduced his pace, still maintaining a sufficient lead over Russell.
Verstappen of Red Bull improved his position to fourth, capitalizing on Hamilton`s second pit stop and overtaking Leclerc.
McLaren`s strong performance raises concerns for Red Bull and Ferrari, especially considering McLaren`s significant pace advantage on a circuit known for aerodynamic importance. McLaren now leads Mercedes by 25 points in the Constructors` Championship.
Haas`s Bearman effectively utilized a hard-medium tire strategy to climb to eighth place.
Liam Lawson of Red Bull finished in 12th, while Jack Doohan received a penalty and finished 13th.
Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin was the only retirement due to brake issues.
Driver Quotes
Oscar Piastri, McLaren (1st): `It was an amazing weekend from beginning to end. The car was fantastic throughout. Today’s tyre performance was a bit unexpected. I`m extremely proud of the entire weekend and the team`s one-two finish. I`m very happy with the result.`
Lando Norris, McLaren (2nd): `There were some exciting moments. The start went as planned. George overtook me during the pit stops, which made me slightly nervous, but our pace improved in the second stint. It was a challenging race with tire management. Oscar drove exceptionally well and deserved the win. I`m pleased with second place and the team`s one-two finish.`
George Russell, Mercedes (3rd): `I`m very happy with P3. McLaren was slightly faster, but these are crucial points. A one-stop strategy was possible and easier than expected. The car performed well this weekend, making it one of my best Formula 1 weekends in terms of performance.`
The next Formula 1 race is the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit.
