Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates with a trophy on the rostrum after profitable the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 21, 2024
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Another Formula 1 race. Yet another victory for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
The three-time defending champion gained the Chinese Grand Prix on April 21 ranging from pole, his fourth victory in 5 races this season and his 23rd within the final 27 extending by final season.
Only a brake failure final month at the Australian GP in Melbourne in all probability saved him from sweeping all 5.
Verstappen trailed for just a few 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 Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was third.
The saftey automobile got here out twice in the course of the race. Once after Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas stalled at the sting of the monitor with a blown engine, and once more with two almost simeltaneous incidents.
In one, 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 likelihood to race at dwelling 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 known as it “a fight” for locations No. three by No. 8.
“Small differences can have a major impact,” Russell stated.
The subsequent GP is Miami on May 5 the place it is usually a celeb 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 images within the paddock and on the monitor earlier than the beginning of the race.