F1 Chinese GP: Unstoppable Verstappen leaves the rest far behind

Max Verstappen and Red Bull dominated the Chinese Grand Prix, with Verstappen winning by 13 seconds ahead of Lando Norris. Sergio Perez took the final podium spot, securing a great result for Red Bull. Verstappen now leads the driver’s standings by 25 points over Perez, while Red Bull has a 44-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructor’s championship.

F1 Chinese GP: Is the title in Verstappen’s pocket?

Believe it or not, Verstappen secured his first Chinese Grand Prix victory in a race marked by numerous incidents and safety car interruptions. The defending champion started cleanly, while Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso managed to pass Perez for second place. It was an impressive start for Alonso, considering his car required last-minute repairs before the race began. However, Perez claimed his position back from Alonso on Lap 5.

Intriguingly, McLaren promptly informed Norris, who was in fourth place, about Alonso’s aggressive tyre usage. Norris, waiting for the right moment, capitalized on the DRS zone in Lap 7 and swiftly overtook the Aston Martin driver, leaving him far behind. Amidst all the unfolding drama, the pole sitter steadily extended his lead.

F1 Chinese GP: Incidents Galore

McLaren showed continued improvement as Lando Norris prevented Red Bull from securing a 1-2 finish. After 14 laps, the majority of drivers began pitting, while Norris and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc stayed out. After the pitstop, Verstappen effortlessly retained his lead, but virtual safety car was deployed on Lap 21 due to Valtteri Bottas’ slow pace, leading to his retirement.

As the race was stabilizing, Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll collided with Daniel Ricciardo’s RB, resulting in a ten-second penalty for Stroll and retirement for Ricciardo. RB’s day worsened when Yuki Tsunoda had to retire after Haas’ Kevin Magnussen collided with him, earning Magnussen a ten-second penalty as well.

F1 Chinese GP: The Top Ten

Verstappen secured his fourth win in five races, while Perez fought valiantly for third place. Norris maintained a comfortable hold on second, as Perez persistently challenged Leclerc, ultimately surpassing the Ferrari driver on Lap 39 for the last spot on the podium. Ferrari had a solid performance with Leclerc and Sainz finishing fourth and fifth, ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, Alonso, and Oscar Piastri from McLaren, who placed sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. Lewis Hamilton faced another challenging race, finishing ninth after an 18th-place start. Nico Hulkenberg earned a crucial point for Haas by completing the top ten.