Verstappen bags Chinese GP from pole with McLaren’s Norris surprise second
The comfortable win at Shanghai International Circuit was the Dutch driver’s fourth in five races in 2024
21 April 2024 - 15:45
byJoe Cash
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Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium after winning the F1 Grand Prix of China at the Shanghai International Circuit on Sunday. Picture: GETTY IMAGES/LINTAO ZHANG
Shanghai — Triple world champion Max Verstappen won Formula One’s first Chinese Grand Prix in five years on Sunday with McLaren’s Lando Norris finishing a surprise second to deny Red Bull the one-two.
The comfortable victory from pole position at a Shanghai circuit that last hosted a grand prix in 2019 was Verstappen’s fourth in five races in 2024 and came after he also won the season’s first Saturday sprint.
Mexican teammate Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s closest championship rival but now 25 points behind, completed the podium after a dry race with two safety car periods to bunch up the field.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fourth and fifth with Mercedes’ George Russell sixth and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso seventh with a bonus point for the fastest lap.
The victory was the 58th of Verstappen’s career and Shanghai became the 26th track he has won at.
“It felt amazing. All weekend we were incredibly quick. It was just enjoyable to drive,” said the 26-year-old, who took the chequered flag 13.773sec clear of Norris.
“The car was basically on rails and I could do whatever I wanted to with it.”
Norris ensured China was the season’s first race without one team finishing first and second — Ferrari having taken the one-two in Australia and Red Bull the rest — with his 15th career podium and eighth-second place.
“I just wasn’t expecting today at all,” said the Briton, who started fourth on the grid and was voted Driver of the Day.
“I got everything ready to go home early and not be on the podium, so it’s a pleasant surprise.
“I made a bet as to how far behind the Ferrari we would finish today. I thought 35 seconds and I was very wrong with that. So happy to be wrong with myself, and my own bets.”
His only wrong moves came after the finish when Norris returned to the pit lane rather than parking up alongside Verstappen and Perez on the straight, and later when he picked up the cap for the third-placed driver.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Verstappen bags Chinese GP from pole with McLaren’s Norris surprise second
The comfortable win at Shanghai International Circuit was the Dutch driver’s fourth in five races in 2024
Shanghai — Triple world champion Max Verstappen won Formula One’s first Chinese Grand Prix in five years on Sunday with McLaren’s Lando Norris finishing a surprise second to deny Red Bull the one-two.
The comfortable victory from pole position at a Shanghai circuit that last hosted a grand prix in 2019 was Verstappen’s fourth in five races in 2024 and came after he also won the season’s first Saturday sprint.
Mexican teammate Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s closest championship rival but now 25 points behind, completed the podium after a dry race with two safety car periods to bunch up the field.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished fourth and fifth with Mercedes’ George Russell sixth and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso seventh with a bonus point for the fastest lap.
The victory was the 58th of Verstappen’s career and Shanghai became the 26th track he has won at.
“It felt amazing. All weekend we were incredibly quick. It was just enjoyable to drive,” said the 26-year-old, who took the chequered flag 13.773sec clear of Norris.
“The car was basically on rails and I could do whatever I wanted to with it.”
Norris ensured China was the season’s first race without one team finishing first and second — Ferrari having taken the one-two in Australia and Red Bull the rest — with his 15th career podium and eighth-second place.
“I just wasn’t expecting today at all,” said the Briton, who started fourth on the grid and was voted Driver of the Day.
“I got everything ready to go home early and not be on the podium, so it’s a pleasant surprise.
“I made a bet as to how far behind the Ferrari we would finish today. I thought 35 seconds and I was very wrong with that. So happy to be wrong with myself, and my own bets.”
His only wrong moves came after the finish when Norris returned to the pit lane rather than parking up alongside Verstappen and Perez on the straight, and later when he picked up the cap for the third-placed driver.
Reuters
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