Method 1 returned to China for the primary time since 2019, with a sell-out crowd on the Shanghai Worldwide cheering house favorite Zhou Guanyu’s each transfer. Whereas he didn’t get the fairytale end he dreamed of, there have been others who have been very proud of their weekend’s work. We select our winners and losers from the Chinese language Grand Prix.
Winner: Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen delivered some of the commanding performances of his profession, as he secured his first Chinese language Grand Prix victory and fourth in 5 Grands Prix up to now this season.
The Crimson Bull racer – who confirmed ruthless tempo that allowed him to construct enormous leads after the beginning and subsequent two Security Automotive restarts – additionally gained the Dash, doing the double (Dash and Grand Prix win) for the third successive Dash weekend.
READ MORE: Verstappen hails ‘superb’ weekend in China as he takes victory amid a number of restarts
The Dutchman has been overwhelmed in a Grand Prix solely twice (each by Carlos Sainz) within the final 357 days and now leads crew mate Sergio Perez by 25 factors within the drivers’ standings.
The march to a fourth successive title – which might pull him degree with ex-Crimson Bull driver Sebastian Vettel – is gathering tempo.
Loser: Daniel Ricciardo
This was so near being an ideal weekend for Daniel Ricciardo, who had the measure of RB crew mate Yuki Tsunoda for the primary time this season.
The Australian outqualified Tsunoda for the primary time in 2024 and bettered him in Dash qualifying, too. He was set for his first factors of the yr earlier than Lance Stroll smashed into the again of him, inflicting vital harm that pressured his retirement.
So as to add but extra distress, he was handed a three-place grid drop for the subsequent occasion – which will probably be utilized within the Dash in Miami – for overtaking Nico Hulkenberg underneath the Security Automotive.
Winner: Lando Norris
Lando Norris headed into the weekend anticipating his McLaren to battle on the Shanghai Worldwide Circuit, courtesy of its lengthy period corners.
Nevertheless, he mastered moist situations to take pole for the Dash after which delivered among the best drives of his profession to take second within the Grand Prix, comfortably maintaining the Crimson Bull of Perez at bay.
This was his eighth second place in F1 and seventh within the final 18 Grands Prix, whereas it gave McLaren their first podium in Shanghai since Jenson Button completed second in 2012.
Losers: Aston Martin
Aston Martin wasted a golden alternative to squeeze extra factors out of the Chinese language Grand Prix weekend and maintain the strain on Mercedes within the battle for P4 within the constructors’ championship.
Fernando Alonso fought exhausting contained in the top-three within the Dash, earlier than he picked up a puncture for a collision with Carlos Sainz (he was blamed for the contact and handed a post-race 10-second time penalty) and finally retired.
On Sunday, the Security Automobiles damage his three-stop technique, although he did battle again to take seventh and keep his report of scoring in each single Grand Prix this season.
Workforce mate Stroll failed to attain after crashing into Ricciardo, that means he hasn’t completed within the top-10 in three of the 5 races up to now this season.
Winner: Zhou Guanyu
Having waited greater than two years, Zhou Guanyu lastly acquired the prospect to change into the primary Chinese language driver to race in F1 on house soil.
Whereas he didn’t rating the factors he so craved, the 24-year-old completed a robust ninth within the Dash and a season’s finest 14th within the Grand Prix.
He dealt with the load of a nation with spectacular maturity, fulfilling a relentless run of media, promotional and fan occasions for weeks main as much as the occasion and throughout the race weekend – and deftly managed to feed off the eye moderately than let it weigh him down.
READ MORE: What the groups mentioned – Race day in China
Losers: Ferrari
Not so way back, fourth and fifth within the Grand Prix would have been thought of a robust consequence for Ferrari – however the Prancing Horse have considerably upped their sport of late and emerged as Crimson Bull’s closest challengers.
However in China they have been no match for Crimson Bull and usurped by McLaren when it comes to one-lap and race tempo, with Charles Leclerc ending fourth to proceed his run of ending contained in the top-four at each race this yr.
Carlos Sainz – who crashed in qualifying to place him on the again foot – secured his first-ever top-six end in Shanghai however this was the primary time he has failed to complete on the rostrum when he has began a Grand Prix this yr.
Winner: Nico Hulkenberg
Nico Hulkenberg continued his sturdy begin to 2024 with a 3rd factors end within the final 4 Grands Prix up to now this season.
For context, the Haas driver solely scored as soon as throughout all the 2023 marketing campaign.
He sits thirteenth within the drivers’ standings, three factors away from crew mate Kevin Magnussen – and in a season the place each level will probably be essential within the battle for P6 within the constructors’ championship, and the place he’s searching a brand new deal for subsequent season, each rating may very well be vital.
Losers: Kick Sauber
Kick Sauber have been threatening to attain factors for a few races now and put themselves in a good spot to take action within the Dash with ninth and tenth on the grid – however they couldn’t battle into the top-eight to attain.
Come race day, Valtteri Bottas began contained in the top-10 and was within the hunt to attain when an engine challenge pressured his retirement.
Whereas they’ve but to attain like rivals Williams and Alpine, they sit backside of the constructors’ championship as their finest consequence up to now is the poorest of the trio.
Winners: Alpine
It may appear odd to see Alpine within the winner’s part given they failed to attain factors – however the Chinese language Grand Prix was noteworthy because it was the primary race this yr the place they managed to complete on the lead lap.
Esteban Ocon’s Eleventh-place was his and the crew’s finest results of the season and proof that the crew – who introduced a brand new flooring to Shanghai – are clawing their method again into the midfield.
Losers: Mercedes
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff mentioned P6 and P9 was the perfect prediction from their pre-race simulations and that’s what George Russell and Lewis Hamilton managed to attain – however that is effectively beneath what a crew of this stature aspires to.
Russell got here house sixth, that means Mercedes end outdoors the top-five in Shanghai for the primary time ever – and it’s the first time since 2011 that they haven’t completed fourth or greater no less than as soon as within the first 5 races.
Hamilton, in the meantime, fought again effectively to attain factors in ninth from 18th on the grid – and this was the third time in 5 races he’s ended up in that lowly place.
