Max Verstappen clinched his 58th career victory in commanding fashion at the Shanghai International Circuit, securing his fourth triumph in five races this season. His dominant performance marked a triumphant return to the Chinese Grand Prix after a five-year hiatus.
The Dutch driver navigated through a series of challenges, including two safety car periods, to claim the checkered flag, crossing the finish line over nine seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Norris delivered an impressive performance, securing his team’s best result of the season so far, while Sergio Perez, in the second Red Bull car, rounded off the podium.
Lewis Hamilton faced an uphill battle after starting from the back of the grid, ultimately finishing in ninth place. Red Bull endured a tough outing as both their cars retired from the event, contrasting with Verstappen’s unchallenged lead throughout the race.
While Verstappen maintained his position at the front, his teammate Perez faced some early challenges, briefly losing ground to Fernando Alonso before reclaiming his position. Alonso’s struggle with tire management eventually saw him overtaken by Norris, who climbed into a podium position.
George Russell showcased his prowess with a strong start, surging past the Ferrari drivers to briefly hold sixth place before being overtaken by Charles Leclerc. Leclerc’s charge also saw him pass Oscar Piastri, positioning himself well for the race ahead.
Red Bull opted to pit both their drivers on lap 14, switching to Hard tires from Mediums. This strategic move was mirrored by Carlos Sainz a few laps later, albeit with fresher rubber compared to his competitors.
The race saw disruptions, with the Virtual Safety Car deployed on lap 21 following Valtteri Bottas’ retirement. This allowed Leclerc and Norris to make their pit stops, with Norris emerging in third place.
However, a full Safety Car prompted Red Bull to pit both cars again, shuffling Perez down to fourth behind Norris and Alonso.
The race resumed briefly before another incident led to another Safety Car period on lap 32. Verstappen maintained his lead through the chaos, consolidating his position at the front.
Perez managed to reclaim a podium spot with an overtake on Leclerc on lap 39 but was unable to catch Norris ahead, settling for third place. Leclerc and Sainz finished fourth and fifth for Ferrari, marking the team’s first absence from the podium this season.
Russell secured sixth place ahead of Alonso, who made a late pit stop for Medium tires, gaining the extra point for the fastest lap. Piastri’s McLaren sustained damage in an earlier incident, leaving him in eighth place ahead of Hamilton, who staged an impressive recovery to ninth.
Nico Hulkenberg secured the final point for Haas in 10th place, adding to his tally for the season.
