Max Verstappen wins Chinese Grand Prix, extends lead in title race
The Red Bull racer won his first Chinese Grand Prix race, fourth of the ongoing season and the 58th of his career overall
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Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix, with McLaren’s Lando Norris finishing second. Sergio Perez completed the podium. Verstappen was unstoppable from the start and went on to win his fourth Grand Prix this season, the 58th of his career and his first in China.
The three-time world champion dominated the race from pole position and opened up a 25-point lead in the title race ahead of teammate Sergio Perez.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fourth and fifth, respectively, with Mercedes’ George Russell sixth and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso seventh, with a bonus point for fastest lap after a late pit stop to switch to fresh tyres.
Although two safety car periods created a bunch up first on lap 23, it was Verstappen who called the shots in the race that returned to the Shanghai International Circuit for the first time in five years.
The safety car period also meant it gave racers time to switch to hard tyres until the end.
The Red Bull racer finished 13.7 seconds ahead of Norris, while Perez was 19 seconds behind the leader. He increased his lead over Perez at the top of the drivers championship to 25 points, with Red Bull pulling 44 points clear of Ferrari in the constructors standings.
Verstappen said it was amazing to have a very quick weekend. “It felt amazing. The whole weekend, we were incredibly quick. Just enjoyable to drive on every compound. We survived the restarts well, and the car was basically on rails, and I could do whatever I wanted with it. These kinds of weekends are amazing to feel, and to achieve what we did this weekend is fantastic,” Verstappen said, after the race.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri finished eighth, while former world champion Lewis Hamilton finished ninth after starting in 18th position on the grid. Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg finished 10th to complete the points scorers.
