Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates with a trophy on the rostrum after profitable the Chinese language Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 21, 2024
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
One other Formulation 1 race. Yet one more victory for Purple Bull’s Max Verstappen.
The three-time defending champion received the Chinese language Grand Prix on April 21 ranging from pole, his fourth victory in 5 races this season and his twenty third within the final 27 extending by final season.
Solely a brake failure final month on the Australian GP in Melbourne in all probability stored him from sweeping all 5.
Verstappen trailed for only some laps following a pit cease. Lando Norris of McLaren was about 14 seconds behind Verstappen in second — the eighth time he has been No. 2 in his profession as he nonetheless seeks his first victory. Verstappen’s Purple Bull teammate Sergio Perez was third.
The saftey automobile got here out twice in the midst of the race. As soon as after Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas stalled on the fringe of the monitor with a blown engine, and once more with two practically simeltaneous incidents.
In a single, Kevin Magnuessen clipped Yuki Tsunoda, and within the different, Lance Stroll bumped into the again of Daniel Ricciardo.
Verstappen’s rule in F1 additionally prolonged to Saturday when he took the inaugural dash race of the season.
This was the primary F1 in China since 2019 when the COVID-19 pandemic and China’s clampdown worn out 4 races. Shanghai-born Zhou Guanyu completed 14th for Sauber, maybe his final probability to race at residence as groups subsequent season will shuffle their driver lineups.
The actual competitors in F1 for the remainder of the season seems to be for the half-dozen locations behind Verstappen and Perez. Mercedes’ George Russell referred to as it “a battle” for locations No. 3 by No. 8.
“Small variations can have a serious influence,” Russell mentioned.
The following GP is Miami on Might 5 the place it is usually a star present. There was additionally a parade of celebrities in China with former basketball star Yao Ming and double Olympic champion skier Eileen Gu posing for pictures within the paddock and on the monitor earlier than the beginning of the race.