In one of the most boring races in recent memory, McLaren proved why everyone considered them clear favourites at the start of the season.
Oscar Piastri started from the top position and the Australian did not give up the lead. Behind him there was a serious fight, George Russell and Lando Norris competed fiercely, eventually Norris forced his way through Russell and approached Piastri. Last year's leader of the season, Max Verstappen, was not so lucky, he immediately lost two positions, or rather, to put it mildly, disappeared from the grid until the end of the race. Charles Leclerc did not do this, his front wing was damaged as a result of a big fight after the start, but he was still able to go faster than his seven-time world champion teammate.
Soon the first "Lewis, Charles is faster than you, let him go" message rang out on the radio, which Lewis Hamilton accepted with difficulty. We also reached the first pit stops, but the picture of the race did not change significantly after that: the McLaren pair in the order Piastri - Norris moved to the front, followed by Russell on the podium. At the back, two Haas and Alexander Albon were moving very promisingly on hard tires, and the latter were clearly playing for one pit stop. As we mentioned in the introduction, to put it mildly, it was not the race of the season, but different tactics brought interesting battles here and there.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda, who had been showing promising form all weekend and was looking to secure a place at Red Bull, was even more unlucky: the Japanese driver lost a piece of his front wing without physical contact, which meant he lost any chance of scoring points. The final significant moment was the highlight of the day, when Verstappen and Hamilton found themselves in the same fight, invoking the spirit of 2021, fighting fiercely for the position that the Dutchman ultimately won. In addition, Oscar Piastri took an easy victory in a race that will soon be forgotten in China, ahead of Lando Norris and George Russell. Haas must also be commended for completing a great double points haul!
Photo: AP / F1
