Legend:
On the way to victory
Max Verstappen.
imago images/PanoramiC
- Max Verstappen wins the first sprint race of the season at the Chinese GP.
- The Dutch world champion prevailed in the Red Bull ahead of Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) and teammate Sergio Perez (MEX).
- Guanyu Zhou (CHN) is 9th in Sauber, Valtteri Bottas is 12th.
On Friday, Max Verstappen had to make do with fourth place on the grid in qualifying for the sprint race, which was held on wet roads in the crucial phase. The Dutchman then complained that he had not brought the tires up to operating temperature.
Verstappen grabs Hamilton
In the first of six sprint races this year, these problems were no longer visible. After half of the workload, which corresponds to around a third of a Grand Prix distance, Verstappen had made up for the handicap and replaced the British Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes as the leader.
After the successful overtaking maneuver on lap 9, there was no stopping Verstappen. With each lap he gained a clearer advantage. He won his eighth win in the format introduced three years ago by 13 seconds. The Mexican Sergio Perez completed the podium in the second Red Bull.
Lando Norris in the McLaren, who started from pole position, went off the road in the first corner and was out of the race. The Brit reached the finish in sixth place.
Sauber cannot take advantage of the good starting position
For Team Sauber, the hope of getting their first World Cup points this season was not fulfilled. The Chinese Guanyu Zhou, who started his first home race from position 10, missed this target by one place in ninth place. The Finn Valtteri Bottas, who had secured ninth place on the grid, crossed the finish line in twelfth place.