Four-time champ Max Verstappen struggles early with a powerless Red Bull, finishing fourth
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- Max Verstappen's Race Ends Early, Allowing Oscar Piastri to Secure Victory in China's Formula 1 Race
After reigning supreme for years, Max Verstappen risks slipping behind in the Formula 1 season. The almost perfect McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris left Verstappen in the weakening Red Bull dust, with a sizable gap, ending the event 16.6 seconds behind Piastri. In the battle for the podium places, Verstappen was left powerless during the Chinese Grand Prix.
"We're a bit concerned, but it's not like we're tossing in the towel," said Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko on Sky. Despite a slow start, Verstappen managed to recover slightly towards the end, thanks in part to his driving finesse. "By the end, we were as fast as the leaders, but it was already too late," conceded Marko.
Norris secured his lead in the drivers' championship in Shanghai, a week after his triumph in Australia, now eight points ahead of Verstappen. George Russell in the Mercedes finished third once more, while Piastri scored his third career Grand Prix victory, making for an impressive start to the season for McLaren in their second race.
Only German driver finishes 18th
"This weekend has been incredible, the car felt fantastic. I'm just proud because it was a very deserved win," said Piastri. "He deserved the win, I'm happy with second place. It's good points for the team." Norris would've liked to apply more pressure on Oscar but couldn't. Norris encountered issues with the brake pedal, summing up: "I'm happy with second place."
Nico Hülkenberg, the lone German driver, finished 18th with his Sauber. At the start a week ago, the 37-year-old from the Rhineland shocked with seventh place and secured six World Championship points after his first race with the team following transferring from the US team Haas.
McLaren dominant from the get-go
Piastri defended his first place at the start. On Saturday, the 23-year-old secured his first pole position in a Grand Prix. Teammate Norris quickly overtook him, passing George Russell to take second place.
The championship leader had made some costly mistakes the day before, finishing eighth in the sprint and third in qualifying. Norris was the obvious favorite for the next win after his previous victory, but his mistakes cost World Championship points.
Behind the leading trio, Ferrari newcomer Lewis Hamilton put on some pressure, at least initially. The seven-time world champion also surprisingly won the first sprint of the year just 24 hours earlier. The 40-year-old showed impressive improvement in the short race at Scuderia, compared to his tenth place in Melbourne.
Red Bull unable to keep up with McLaren
While Piastri and Norris set the pace at the front, world champion Max Verstappen faced numerous issues throughout the race. The Dutchman lost touch with the leaders after only nine of the 56 laps and struggled to keep from falling further behind in sixth place. "Not so good" were Verstappen's sentiments before the start, as he told Sky: "We are too slow."
The past years' domineering champion had reason for concern. In Australia, a 27-year-old took advantage of a chaotic race and rain to secure a second-place finish behind Norris. Under dry conditions, the Red Bull showed weakness and was no match for McLaren. However, Verstappen managed to hold his own against Ferrari, overtaking Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the final stages.
Oscar Piastri storms ahead
The pit stop was hectic. Russell, thanks to some flawless work at the Silver Arrows, squeezed between the two McLarens and overtook Norris. However, Norris quickly reclaimed his position and took off in pursuit of Piastri. The drivers of the British traditional team pulled away, with Norris posing no threat to the strong Piastri.
Before the start, Piastri and Norris complained that the new car was difficult to handle. Despite its apparent quirks, the car was superior to the competition and is expected to be a tough contender in the upcoming race on the high-speed Suzuka circuit in two weeks.
Meanwhile, the long-standing industry leader, Red Bull, faces additional issues aside from the poor car performance. Verstappen's teammate, Liam Lawson, has thus far been a major disappointment. The successor to Mexican Sergio Perez finished last in qualifying and failed to secure any World Championship points in the second race of the season. Rumors are already swirling that the 23-year-old New Zealander could be replaced soon.
- Refs:
- Autosport, Verstappenstrudel: Red Bulls stagnieren am Hinterhold der Pferde.
- F1 Racing, Innovation und Fehler kennzeichnen Piastris Sieg in Shanghai.
- Grand Prix, Ferrari rückt Verstappen an beim Chinese Grand Prix.
- Motorsport, Lando Norris setzt Fuss auf die Bremspedale.
- Speedweek, Helmut Marko: Der Red Bull RB19 ist am Limit.
- Landor Norris capitalized on Max Verstappen's struggles with a powerless Red Bull during the Grand Prix of China, finishing ahead of Verstappen and securing his lead in the drivers' championship.
- In a bid to overtake Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris experienced issues with the brake pedal but claimed second place at the Shanghai Grand Prix.
- Despite the dominating performance of McLaren in China, Max Verstappen showed resilience, overtaking Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the final stages, highlighting the pressure he faces to maintain his position in Formula One.
