Max Verstappen has won the Chinese GP quite easily, his fourth victory this season. Lando Norris and Sergio Perez completed the podium.
LIGHTS OUT!! The 2024 Chinese Grand Prix is GO!
Alonso sweeps past Perez into Turn 1 and is up to P2 #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/KerzgxF4fZ
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
Max Verstappen got off to a good start from pole position and remained in the lead of the race. No incidents in the first two corners and that can often be called a miracle at the Shanghai International Circuit. At the back, Lewis Hamilton did not make up any places from P18.
LAP 3/56
TOP 5
Verstappen
Alonso
Perez
Norris
Plates#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/pSc1ucAjNH— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
Alonso briefly passed Sergio Perez, but the Mexican managed to pass Alonso again on the third lap. Red Bull again in the first two places after just a few laps and Max Verstappen quickly built up a lead.
LAP 5/56
Alonso can’t keep Perez behind him for long
The Mexican retakes P2#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/y8iF3neNdO
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
A little further down the field we saw a bit more battle than at the front. Lando Norris meanwhile overtook Fernando Alonso.
LAP 7/56
Alonso slipping back, Norris charging forward
The McLaren driver is now giving chase behind the Red Bulls #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/4OQySNF15E
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
After the first pit stops we saw Max Verstappen drop back to third place. Lando Norris was leading the race ahead of Charles Leclerc, but both of them of course had to make a pit stop.
LAP 20/56
We have a yellow flag
Bottas reports his “engine has gone” and is out of the race #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/hf5l0w0VPk
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
On lap 20 we suddenly got a virtual safety car when Valtteri Bottas had to put his F1 car aside due to an engine problem. His car was completely blocked. The ideal moment for Norris and Leclerc to complete their pit stop.
LAP 22/56
Virtual Safety Car
Bottas’ car has yet to be moved to safety. Multiple drivers come into the pits for a fresh set of rubber #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/Q3cNBawHY6
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
Because Bottas” car could not be moved, we eventually got the safety car on the track and many additional cars decided to stop. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, who had already made a pit stop, also re-entered.
LAP 23/56
@MercedesAMG SAFETY CAR #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/cC1LJVPpgC
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
After a few laps behind the safety car, the safety car went off the track, but at the restart things went wrong again because Daniel Ricciardo was torpedoed by Lance Stroll near the hairpin. A little further on there was also contact between Kevin Magnussen and Yuki Tsunoda.
LAP 27/56
The Safety Car comes in and we are racing again, or are we…
Magnussen sends Tsunoda spinning at the restart and team mate Ricciardo is shunted from behind by Stroll #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/DrL5kOOJlu
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
Rewind to the restart
Stroll Ricciardo
#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/C0nn5PdiQL
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
We immediately got the safety car back on track. After all, there was a lot of debris at the hairpin.
LAP 28/56
No sooner has the Safety Car come in and it’s back on track following those collisions #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/t0LuS5kLIJ
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
At the new restart, Max Verstappen again remained in the lead ahead of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc. Remarkably, we didn’t have that many position changes, the biggest battle was at the back between Kevin Magnussen and Lance Stroll who were intensely fighting for the last and penultimate place at the very back.
LAP 32/56
We are racing again…
And this time it’s a clean getaway for all the drivers#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/8HTW6ju9wV
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
Daniel Ricciardo had to retire moments later after being hit by a car. The Australian was better than teammate Yuki Tsunoda throughout the race weekend and received a pat on the back from the team.
LAP 35/56
Ricciardo’s race is run
The Aussie gets a consoling pat on the back in the garage#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/WQB94SW9r6
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
There was little spectacle at the front, but further down the field, Guanyu Zhou overtook Logan Sargeant, much to the delight of the home crowd. A little later, Zhou came in for a pit stop on soft tires. The Chinese was therefore at the back, but hoped to gain a big advantage towards the end of the race on the much faster soft tire compound and to be able to overtake cars.
LAP 39/56
Zhou gets past Sargeant
The crowd absolutely loved that! #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/kj7oKbfw4Z
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 21, 2024
With just under fifteen laps to go, Fernando Alonso came in for a second pit stop. The Spaniard switched to the medium tire. He lost quite a few places as a result, but on those much newer mediums he was able to drive much faster than the cars in front of him.
HOW DID ALONSO SAVE THAT!? #F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/4gNKbYEMXw
— Autosport (@autosport) April 21, 2024
Fernando Alonso went all out on the attack and overtook several cars. Things almost went wrong when the Spaniard ended up in the gravel trap while coming out of the last corner. Unlike his compatriot Carlos Sainz during qualifying, Alonso managed to keep his car on track thanks to an incredible reflex.
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