Shanghai, China: The Chinese Grand Prix was a rollercoaster ride filled with overtaking manoeuvres and unexpected incidents. Max Verstappen, starting from pole position, held his nerve and dominated the race, securing his fourth victory in five races this season. He led most of the strategic battle at the Shanghai International Circuit, even with a Virtual Safety Car and two full Safety Car periods disrupting the flow. While drama unfolded behind him, Verstappen remained calm and collected at the front.
McLaren’s Lando Norris emerged as a surprise contender, making the most of the safety car periods to jump ahead of Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez. Norris, along with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz from Ferrari, opted for a one-stop strategy, which proved successful as he managed to hold off Perez and claim a well-deserved second-place finish. Leclerc and Sainz followed close behind in fourth and fifth, respectively, despite Leclerc’s late-race concerns about tyre wear. Rounding out the top six was George Russell, leading the charge for Mercedes.
Further down the field, the race unfolded with a mix of strategies and battles. Fernando Alonso took a gamble by pitting for softer tyres during the mid-race Safety Car, while most opted for the harder compound. This forced him into a late pit stop for mediums and a fightback from the 12th position. Alonso showcased his driving prowess with a series of overtakes, including one on his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, to ultimately finish a respectable seventh.
Sir Lewis Hamilton, after a disappointing qualifying and early struggles, managed to climb his way up the order amidst the race drama. With some clever overtaking manoeuvres, he secured a ninth-place finish. The final points position went to Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg.
The midfield battle saw Alpine teammates Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly sandwiching the Williams car of Alex Albon, finishing 11th, 12th, and 13th respectively. Zhou Guanyu, racing for Kick Sauber, made history as the first Chinese driver to compete in his home Grand Prix, crossing the line in 14th place.
The race wasn’t without its penalties. Lance Stroll received a 10-second penalty for causing a collision with Daniel Ricciardo under the Safety Car. The incident happened as the field bunched up at the restart, with Stroll hitting the back of Ricciardo’s Red Bull. Ricciardo was forced to retire with significant damage, while Stroll finished a lowly 15th after the penalty was applied. The final classified finishers were Kevin Magnussen and Logan Sargeant, who also received penalties for separate incidents during the race.
Max Verstappen continued his dominance in the 2024 season, taking a commanding victory at the chaotic Chinese Grand Prix. Despite a strategic battle and multiple safety car disruptions, Verstappen remained unfazed, leading from start to finish. Lando Norris emerged as a surprise contender with a strategic gamble that paid off, securing a well-deserved second place for McLaren. Further down the field, there were battles for position, impressive comebacks like Alonso’s, and a bit of drama with penalties handed out for incidents under the safety car. As the 2024 F1 circus heads to Miami in two weeks, Verstappen remains firmly in control of the championship with a 25-point lead.
Race results – Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix 2024
- Position 1: Max Verstappen (Team – RedBull Racing Honda RBPT), Time: 1:40:52.554, Points: 25
- Position 2: Lando Norris (Team – McLaren), Time: +13.773s, Points: 18
- Position 3: Sergio Perez (Team – RedBull Racing Honda RBPT), Time: +19.160s, Points: 15
- Position 4: Charles Leclerc (Team – Ferrari), Time: +23.623s, Points: 12
- Position 5: Carlos Sainz Jr (Team – Ferrari), Time: +33.983s, Points: 10
Race Result source: https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/2024/races/1233/china/race-result.html
