From the pole position, Max Verstappen was the class of the Formula One field on Sunday in the Chinese Grand Prix.
Verstappen was unmatched as he scored his fourth win in the first five races of the season, further extending his lead in the points. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Perez made up the podium.
With varying strategies and virtual safety cars deployed multiple times, movement was aplenty behind the podium finishers.Â
Ferrari led the way for the non-podium finishers with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz making up the top five. George Russell bagged sixth for Mercedes.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, pitting for soft tires instead of hard, charged from 12th to seventh by race’s end. Oscar Piastri ran eighth for McLaren.
While Lewis Hamilton started 18th due to struggles throughout the weekend, he rebounded to finish ninth while Haas F-1’s Nico Hulkenberg completed the points finishers in 10th.Â
Hulkenberg’s teammate Kevin Magnussen finished 16th with American Logan Sargeant behind him in 17th due to a 10-second penalty for an incident with Daniel Ricciardo.Â