Oscar Piastri didn’t put a wheel wrong as he raced from pole position to the chequered flag at the Chinese Grand Prix, maintaining a comfortable lead over Lando Norris throughout the race.

The team-mates handed McLaren the 1-2 in the race, Norris extending his lead in the Drivers’ standings to eighth points, with George Russell joining the McLaren team-mates on the podium.

Chinese Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri wins in Shanghai

19 drivers lined up on the Shanghai grid for the start of the 56-lap Chinese GP, Liam Lawson in the pitlane after setup changes.

Pole-sitter Oscar Piastri did not pull off the line as well as George Russell but quickly moved across to cover him, opening the door for Lando Norris to pass the Mercedes driver for second. A McLaren 1-2.

Lewis Hamilton was fourth ahead of Charles Leclerc, who Max Verstappen reported had a “broken front wing” in contact between the two Ferrari drivers. Leclerc was told he had “20 to 30 points lost” and was asked if he could survive until the first pit stop. He said yes.

Kimi Antonelli, Yuki Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar and Esteban Ocon made up the top ten while Gabriel Bortoleto went spinning and Fernando Alonso became the first DNF – out with a right-rear brake on fire. “I cannot brake, no brakes, no brakes,” he told Aston Martin.

Aston Martin confirmed: “The team were managing an issue with rear brake temperatures, so had to make a precautionary stop and retire the car.”

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As Piastri broke out of DRS range of Norris, the latter reported that he was “starting to struggle a little on the left front”. Russell was holding down third ahead of the Ferrari team-mates, Leclerc all over the back of Hamilton’s rear wing as they dropped Verstappen by four seconds.

Despite Hamilton reporting “graining”, Leclerc was told: “For now we want to stay like this, you are still competitive.”

Alex Albon, meanwhile, running P11 in a DRS train that started with Tsunoda in eighth got angsty with Williams: “I’m good, I am good, I am better than everyone. Let’s relax. I am very comfortable.”

Pit stops for the two-stoppers began on lap 11, Pierre Gasly the first in while Tsunoda was the first of the top ten to stop. As that played out, he came out ahead of Antonelli.

With an eye on the undercut, Hamilton and Verstappen pitted on lap 14, Russell informed Mercedes he thought the race was a one-stop, and Piastri pitted from the lead, Russell in behind him. Norris was up into P1 on lap 15.

Norris and Leclerc were the next in and returned to the track with birthday boy Albon leading ahead of Piastri with Russell and Norris next in line, the latter having been caught out by Lance Stroll as he exited the pits. Stroll was fifth ahead of Carlos Sainz, Hamilton, Leclerc, Oliver Bearman and Verstappen.

Piastri overtook Albon to return to P1, Norris passed Russell – “Good move to be fair” said the Mercedes driver, and Hamilton was harassed by Leclerc as they overtook Stroll.

Hamilton was told to “swap” with Leclerc at Turn 14 but kept his team-mate behind him. “I’ll tell you when we can swap,” Hamilton said to the Ferrari pit wall before letting Leclerc through at Turn 1.

Halfway through the 56 laps, Piastri was leading by four seconds ahead of Norris, who was ahead of Russell, Leclerc, Hamilton and Verstappen. Stroll and Bearman, who had yet to pit, were scrapping over seventh before the Haas driver pitted. Tsunoda, Ocon and Antonelli were running inside the points.

As for Lawson, he was running in 16th place having failed to make significant gains. Make that 17th as Bearman in the Haas overtook him.

While Piastri was told to up his pace to help Norris create a gap to Russell should Mercedes pull the undercut, Leclerc was in awe of the Mercedes and called it a “dragster” out of Turn 12. He added: “Unbelievable. The traction they have out of there is unbelievable.”

McLaren informed their drivers of potential “class one” rain in the final three laps, Hadjar was the first of the top ten to pit for a second time, and Verstappen was told “good pace” as he began to come back at Hamilton for fifth. Lap 37, Stroll finally pitted. Hamilton pitted.

Piastri and Norris ran 1-2 into the final quarter of the race, Hamilton, having come out in sixth place after his stop, set the fastest lap of the Grand Prix, Bearman entered the points with an overtake on Pierre Gasly, Lawson was stuck in 17th place and the Saubers made up the final two positions on the track.

Tsunoda’s race was undone on lap 47, the Racing Bulls driver suffering a broken front wing just moments before his team-mate had an off in his battle with Jack Doohan, the Alpine driver forcing them both wide. Doohan was given a 10-second time penalty. “Front wing damage from what?” Tsunoda asked as he pitted for a new nose, returning to the track in 19th place.

Norris, meanwhile, reported that his brake pedal was “going long”. Told McLaren noted it, he replied: “I wouldn’t say if it was long, it is a lot longer!” He was told that it would get worse, but that he didn’t need to worry, just be “cautious, no risks”. He was then told to finish “second, rather than not at all”.

With four to go Verstappen was all over the back of Leclerc’s Ferrari, making his way around Turn 2 before cutting back and taking fourth place. He immediately dropped the Ferrari driver.

Piastri raced to the victory in a McLaren 1-2, almost 10-seconds up on his team-mate. Russell was third ahead of Verstappen, Leclerc and Hamilton.

Ocon, Antonelli, Albon and Bearman completed the points.

Nico Hulkenberg, Bortoleto, Tsunoda, and Albon will all be investigated after the Grand Prix for practice start infringement.

Chinese Grand Prix Classification

1 Oscar Piastri McLaren 2 Lando Norris McLaren +9.748 3 George Russell Mercedes +11.097 4 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +16.656 5 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +23.211 6 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +25.381 7 Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team +49.969 8 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +53.748 9 Alexander Albon Williams +56.321 10 Oliver Bearman Haas F1 Team +61.303 11 Pierre Gasly Alpine +67.195 12 Lance Stroll Aston Martin +70.204 13 Carlos Sainz Williams +76.387 14 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +78.875 15 Liam Lawson Red Bull Racing +81.147 16 Jack Doohan Alpine +88.401 17 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber +1 lap 18 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber +1 lap

19 Yuki Tsunoda Racing Bulls +1 lap

Chinese Grand Prix Retirement

Fernando Alonso Aston Martin – brake fire – Lap 4

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