Max Verstappen rounded off a dominant weekend with victory within the first Chinese Grand Prix for 5 years on Sunday to increase his world championship lead, a day after romping to dash victory.
The three-time world champion managed the race on its return to the Shanghai International Circuit for the primary time since 2019.
He completed 13.7 seconds forward of McLaren’s Lando Norris with Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez third, an additional six seconds again.
He was denied a one hundred pc points-scoring weekend when Fernando Alonso picked up the bonus for the quickest lap after a late change to contemporary tyres.
It was one other all-conquering show from Verstappen, who gained his fourth grand prix this season and the 58th of his profession.
Max Verstappen’s lead 25 factors
He elevated his lead over Perez on the prime of the drivers championship to 25 factors with Red Bull pulling 44 factors away from Ferrari within the constructors standings.
Only a uncommon brake failure and retirement in Melbourne denied Verstappen the prospect of a clear sweep of all 5 rounds in 2024 as he marches in direction of a fourth consecutive world title.
“It felt amazing. The whole weekend we were incredibly quick. Just enjoyable to drive on every compound,” mentioned Verstappen, who took his first victory in China.
“We survived the restarts properly and the automotive was mainly on rails and I might do no matter I wished with it.
“Those kind of weekends are amazing to feel and to achieve what we did this weekend is fantastic.”
The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had been fourth and fifth.
Race technique was largely determined by a security automotive on lap 23, which enabled most vehicles to modify to laborious tyres until the tip.
George Russell got here sixth for Mercedes with Alonso ending seventh.
The Spanish veteran, 42, made a spectacular late cost by means of the sphere from twelfth after his last cease on lap 43 of the 56-lap race.
Unexpected podium
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was eighth, chased house by Lewis Hamilton who clawed his means as much as ninth from 18th on the grid.
The points-scorers had been rounded out by Nico Hulkenberg in tenth for Haas.
Norris was delighted to complete second, his finest lead to 2024, having began from fourth on the grid.
“Surprised, I’m very happy. Today it just worked out,” mentioned the Englishman.
“Things came alive today. I don’t know why, it was not the race I was expecting, but just got comfortable.”
Perez completed on the rostrum for the fourth time in 5 rounds this season.
Alonso swooped previous him initially however the Mexican fought again to second inside 5 laps and had been eyeing a second consecutive Red Bull one-two till the security automotive set him again.
“It really cost us quite a bit. Fighting like that in the early laps, the life of the tyre goes off dramatically,” mentioned Perez.
“But at least we got onto the podium. But it would have been good to be one and two. We were definitely lacking some pace.”
China’s first Formula One driver Zhou Guanyu was an unlimited draw over the weekend as he made his house grand prix debut.
He was allowed to park his automotive on the grid in entrance the grandstands after ending 14th within the race and exited the cockpit in floods of tears to an ovation from the capability crowd.
“I drove my heart out today, unfortunately not enough for the points but we go again next time,” mentioned an emotional Zhou.
“I am just so happy to see the whole crowd. No words. A mixture of emotions and a day to remember. Hopefully in the future more drivers from my country will be stepping in here.”
Results from the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix
1. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 56 laps in 1hr 40min 52.554sec, 2. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren) at 13.773, 3. Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull) at 19.160, 4. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) at 23.623, 5. Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari) at 33.983, 6. George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) at 38.724, 7. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin) at 43.414, 8. Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren) at 59.198, 9. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) at 57.986, 10. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Haas) at 1:00.476, 11. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine) at 1:02.812, 12. Alexander Albon (THA/Williams) at 1:05.506, 13. Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine) at 1:09.223, 14. Guanyu Zhou (CHN/Sauber) at 1:11.689, 15. Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin) at 1:22.786, 16. Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas) at 1:27.533, 17. Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams) at 1:35.110
Retirements:
Lap 20: Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Sauber)
Lap 27: Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/RB)
lap 34: Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/RB)
Fastest lap: Alonso 1:37.810
World Championship standings
Drivers:
1. Max Verstappen (NED) 110 pts, 2. Sergio Perez (MEX) 85, 3. Charles Leclerc (MON) 76, 4. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) 69, 5. Lando Norris (GBR) 58, 6. Oscar Piastri (AUS) 38, 7. George Russell (GBR) 33, 8. Fernando Alonso (ESP) 31, 9. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 19, 10. Lance Stroll (CAN) 9, 11. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) 7, 12. Oliver Bearman (GBR) 6, 13. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) 4, 14. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) 1
Constructors:
1. Red Bull 195 pts, 2. Ferrari 151, 3. McLaren 96, 4. Mercedes 52, 5. Aston Martin 40, 6. RB 7, 7. Haas 5
By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
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