Red Bull’s Max Verstappen continued his dominant run in the Formula 1 season with another victory at the Chinese Grand Prix. Starting from pole position, Verstappen secured his fourth win in five races this season and his 23rd win in the last 27 races dating back to last season. While a brake failure prevented him from achieving a clean sweep of victories, Verstappen showed his skill and consistency on the track.
During the race, Verstappen briefly trailed behind Lando Norris of McLaren following a pit stop, but quickly regained his lead and finished ahead of Norris by about 14 seconds. Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, secured third place. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz completed the top five, fending off Mercedes driver George Russell and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
Verstappen’s dominant performance has solidified his position as the leader in the standings, with 110 points. Perez follows closely behind with 85 points, while Leclerc, Sainz, and Norris complete the top five. Verstappen expressed his joy after the race, stating, “All weekend we were incredibly quick…The car was basically on rails.” However, when asked if this was his most dominant victory, Verstappen remained modest, simply stating, “It was a good one.”
Looking ahead to the next race in Miami on May 5, Verstappen acknowledged that it would be a completely different track with different challenges. He emphasized that anything can happen in racing and that the outcome is uncertain due to various factors such as the tires and track conditions.
The race in China saw two instances where the safety car had to be deployed. Once due to Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas stalling with an engine failure, and again when Kevin Magnussen collided with Yuki Tsunoda, and Lance Stroll ran into Daniel Ricciardo. These incidents created additional excitement and unpredictability during the race.
On Saturday, Verstappen also secured victory in the inaugural sprint race of the season. However, despite his success, he expressed some reservations about the sprint format, citing the increased workload and stress on mechanics and engineers. Norris echoed these concerns, emphasizing the toll it takes on the technical staff who have to travel extensively throughout the season.
The return of the Chinese Grand Prix marked an important milestone after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Local driver Zhou Guanyu finished 14th for Sauber, receiving immense support from the crowd. Zhou’s future participation in races at home may be limited as teams are expected to make changes to their driver lineups next season.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, the battle for positions behind Verstappen and Perez is expected to be intense. George Russell of Mercedes acknowledged the competitiveness among the drivers fighting for places between third and eighth. He highlighted how small differences can have a significant impact on the final standings.
Formula 1 has seen dominance from drivers like Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, and Lewis Hamilton in the past. Verstappen’s current reign suggests that he and Red Bull will continue to rule in the upcoming season. However, with new engine and chassis regulations set to take effect in 2026, the dynamics of the sport could change.
Not only did the Chinese Grand Prix showcase thrilling racing action, but it also attracted celebrities to the paddock. Former basketball star Yao Ming and Olympic skier Eileen Gu were among those spotted in attendance, adding an extra touch of glamour to the event.