Oscar Piastri secured a commanding victory in the Chinese Grand Prix, leading McLaren teammate Lando Norris to a dominant one-two finish, with George Russell’s Mercedes completing the podium. Piastri controlled the race from pole position, briefly losing the lead during pit stops but remaining largely unchallenged. Norris, though struggling with fading brakes late on, managed to fend off Russell, ensuring McLaren’s second straight win of the season.
Championship Standings Shift as Ferrari Faces Disqualification
With his runner-up finish, Norris now leads the championship, eight points ahead of Max Verstappen, who finished fourth after a strong second half of the race. Russell sits third in the standings, one point behind Verstappen, with Piastri just a point further back.
Ferrari’s race ended in frustration as both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were disqualified for separate technical infringements. Leclerc had driven impressively despite a damaged front wing, overtaking Hamilton, who had earlier resisted team orders before ultimately letting his teammate through. The seven-time champion, fresh from winning the sprint race on Saturday, struggled for pace and made a late second pit stop, unlike the leaders, who stuck to a one-stop strategy.
Early Drama and Strategic Battles
At the start, Piastri defended aggressively against Russell, forcing him inside and allowing Norris to capitalize by moving into second place. The McLaren duo then controlled the race, with only pit stops briefly disrupting their dominance. Russell stopped at the same time as Piastri, while Norris pitted a lap later and was momentarily held up by Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll, allowing Russell to retain second place. However, Norris soon retook the position with a bold move at Turn One.
McLaren then asked Piastri to slightly increase his pace to give Norris breathing space from Russell, a precaution in case a second pit stop became necessary. As the race progressed, it became clear that the hard tires would last, solidifying the top three positions.
Late-Stage Challenges and Ferrari’s Misfortune
In the final 15 laps, Norris’ braking issues became severe. His engineer advised him to avoid hard braking, emphasizing that securing 18 points was more important than risking a DNF. Russell rapidly closed an eight-second gap, reducing it to just one second on the final lap, but Norris managed to hold him off.
Leclerc and Hamilton’s early contact had already compromised Ferrari’s race, with Leclerc losing part of his front wing. Despite this, he was faster than Hamilton and pressured Russell for second place before a snap at the hairpin cost him ground. Meanwhile, Verstappen, who had struggled early on, found pace in the latter stages and overtook Leclerc for fourth with a decisive move around Turns One and Three.
Hamilton finished sixth, just two seconds behind Leclerc, but their eventual disqualifications promoted Esteban Ocon’s Haas to sixth, ahead of Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who had floor damage from early debris. Williams’ Alex Albon and Haas’ Oliver Bearman rounded out the top ten.
What’s Next?
With McLaren’s strong start to the season, the focus now shifts to the next Grand Prix weekend starting on April 4th in Japan. Their rivals will aim to close the gap in the championship battle in the qualification on Saturday (06:00 GMT) and the main Grand Prix on Sunday (05:00 GMT).