In one of the most boring races in recent memory, McLaren demonstrated why everyone considered them the clear favorites before the season.
The start was anticipated by Oscar Piastri from the highest position, and the Australian did not give up the lead. Behind him, a serious battle took place, George Russell and Lando Norris faced each other, and in the end Norris managed to overtake Russell and lined up behind Piastri. Max Verstappen, the leader of last season, did not have the same fate, losing two places immediately and, practically, fading into the peloton until the end of the race. Unlike him, Charles Leclerc, despite suffering damage to his front wing as a result of an intense fight after the start, managed to maintain a better pace than his teammate, the seven-time world champion.
Soon, the first message was transmitted on the radio "Lewis, Charles is faster than you, let him pass", which Lewis Hamilton, with difficulty, complied with. We reached the first stops, but the overall picture of the race did not change significantly: at the head of the race was the McLaren duo, Piastri – Norris, and behind them Russell on the podium. Further back, the two Haas and Alexander Albon were moving very promisingly on the hard tires, they clearly had a one-stop strategy. As I mentioned in the introduction, it was not at all the race of the season, but the different strategies brought interesting battles here and there.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda, who had been promising all weekend and was vying for a place at Red Bull, was unlucky: a fragment of his front wing broke off without physical contact, so he lost any chance of scoring points. The last significant moment was the climax of the day, when Verstappen and Hamilton met and, evoking the spirit of 2021, fought intensely for position through the corners, which was ultimately won by the Dutchman. In addition, Oscar Piastri achieved an easy start-finish victory in the Chinese Grand Prix, overtaking Lando Norris and George Russell. Also worth praising is Haas, who achieved an excellent double points!
Photo: AP / F1
