2024-04-21 13:49:00
SHANGHAI – Another Formula 1 race And another victory for Dutchman Max Verstappen aboard Red Bull.
The three-time reigning world champion won the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday following starting from the pole. This is his fourth win in five races this season and his 23rd in the last 27 races.
Only a brake failure at the Australian GP last month prevented him from posting a perfect record at the start of the campaign.
Quebecer Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) finished 15th following being involved in an incident for which he was penalized.
Verstappen was in first place the entire race, except for a few laps following the pit stop.
Lando Norris (McLaren) followed him to the finish 14 seconds behind. Norris thus climbed to the second step of the podium for the eighth time in his career and is still looking for his first victory.
Verstappen’s teammate, Mexican Sergio Perez, was third.
The two Ferrari drivers, Monegasque Charles Leclerc and Spaniard Carlos Sainz fils, finished top 5. Briton George Russell (Mercedes) and Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) finished sixth and seventh.
Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and German Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) also collected points.
Local hero Zhou Guanyu (Sauber) finished 14th.
Verstappen now has 110 points in the table, ahead of Perez (85), Leclerc (76), Sainz (69) and Norris (58).
“It was unbelievable,” said Verstappen. All weekend we were incredibly fast and it was just lovely to drive. The car was basically on rails and I might do whatever I wanted with it. This kind of weekend is incredible to experience. »
Asked if it was one of the most dominant performances of his career, he replied: “It was a good one, yes. »
The next event will be the Miami GP on May 5.
Stroll punished
The safety car entered the track twice in the middle of the race. The first following the Sauber of Finn Valtteri Bottas stopped at the side of the track due to a powertrain failure, and the second due to two simultaneous incidents.
Danish Kevin Magnussen (Haas) caught Japanese Yuki Tsunoda (RB) and Stroll hit the back of the RB car of Australian Daniel Ricciardo.
Stroll, who finished 10th, was the latest in a line of drivers caught by surprise on the restart by a decline at the end of a straight. Several competitors were thrown on the brakes, but Stroll did not have time to stop before coming into contact with Ricciardo.
He was judged responsible for the accident by the commissioners, he was given 10 seconds and had to go through the pits to replace the front wing.
“When the safety car arrived, there was a chain reaction with all the cars in front suddenly slowing down,” Stroll said in an Aston Martin press release. I didn’t have enough time to react and avoid contact with Daniel [Ricciardo].
“It’s frustrating because I ended up with a penalty, but the incident was caused by sudden braking from someone at the front of the peloton. After the front wing change, we were last, which meant the race was over. »
Ricciardo was not of the same opinion.
“It’s very frustrating,” he said. I looked at the footage from his onboard camera and it looked like he wasn’t even looking at me, it seemed like his helmet was facing the rope point. Seeing your race destroyed by someone else is frustrating. »
Stroll received two penalty points on the super licence.
Chinese Grand Prix Position :
1. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull)
the 305.066 km in 1 h 40:52.554
2. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) on 13,773
3.Sergio Pérez (MEX/Red Bull) at 19.160
4.Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) at 23.623
5.Carlos Sainz fils (ESP/Ferrari) on 33,983
6.George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) on 38.724
7. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) on 43,414
8. Oscar Piastri (AUS/McLaren-Mercedes) on 59,198
9. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) on 57.986
10.Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Haas-Ferrari) at 1:00.476
11. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Alpine-Renault) in 1:02.812
12.Alexander Albon (THA/Williams-Mercedes) in 1:05.506
13.Pierre Gasly (FRA/Alpine-Renault) at 1:09.223
14. Zhou Guanyu (CHN/Sauber-Ferrari) in 1:11.689
15. Lance Stroll (CAN/Aston Martin-Mercedes) in 1:22.786
16.Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas-Ferrari) at 1:27.533*
17. Logan Sargeant (USA/Williams-Mercedes) at 1:35.110**
Best lap of the race : Fernando Alonso (ESP/Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:37.810 on lap 45 (average: 200.630 km/h)
* 10 second penalty for causing an accident
** 10 second penalty for overtaking under safety car regime
Leaving :
Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Sauber-Ferrari): engine 20th lap
Yuki Tsunoda (JPN/Racing Bulls-Red Bull): accident 27th lap
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Racing Bulls-Red Bull): mechanical problem on lap 34
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