In one of the most boring races in recent memory, McLaren showed why everyone considered them the top favorites before the season.
Oscar Piastri was able to wait for the start from the most privileged position, and the Australian didn't let go of the lead. Behind him, an intense fight ensued, with George Russell and Lando Norris clashing fiercely, with Norris eventually overtaking Russell, closing in on Piastri. Last season's leader, Max Verstappen, wasn't as lucky, losing two positions immediately and somewhat fading into the pack until the end of the race. This wasn't the case for Charles Leclerc, who, despite having his front wing damaged in the intense fight after the start, was still able to maintain a faster pace than his teammate, the seven-time world champion.
The first message soon came over the radio: "Lewis, Charles is faster than you, let him pass," which Lewis Hamilton complied with, albeit with great difficulty. We also made the first pit stops, but the overall picture of the race didn't change significantly: up front, the McLaren duo of Piastri and Norris led the order, followed by Russell on the podium. Further back, the two Haas drivers and Alexander Albon were moving very promisingly on hard tires, the latter clearly being strategic for a pit stop. As we mentioned in the introduction, it wasn't exactly the race of the season, but the different tactics led to some interesting battles here and there.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda, who had been showing promising performances throughout the weekend and was aiming for a Red Bull seat, suffered a setback: a portion of his front wing broke off without physical contact, effectively eliminating all chances of scoring points. As the final significant moment, the day's highlight came when Verstappen and Hamilton met, evoking the spirit of 2021, battling hard for position through the corners, which ultimately went to the Dutchman. Aside from that, Oscar Piastri cruised to an easy win from start to finish in a quickly forgettable Chinese Grand Prix, beating Lando Norris and George Russell. Haas also deserves praise, achieving an excellent double points finish.
Photo: AP / F1
