McLaren’s Oscar Piastri wins F1 Chinese GP from teammate Lando Norris. Both Ferraris disqualified
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri wins F1 Chinese GP from teammate Lando Norris. Both Ferraris disqualified
SHANGHAI (AP) — McLaren driver Oscar Piastri cruised to his maiden Chinese Grand Prix win from pole position with the Australian untouchable ahead of his teammate Lando Norris as the pair completed McLaren’s milestone 50th one-two placing in Formula 1.
Piastri, who took his maiden pole position on Saturday, got a great start in Sunday’s race to lead into the first corner, as Norris passed George Russell’s Mercedes for second.
The Australian then slowly stretched his legs in an untroubled drive for his third career win, after Hungary and Azerbaijan last year.
“(It’s) very satisfying, obviously,” said Piastri, who is now up to fourth in the standings, just 10 points behind leader Norris with 22 races to go.
“I think it’s always a pretty good day when you cross the line first, but I think this has been the most satisfying, not just race, but (race) weekend for myself. I think the two wins I had previously were very different, and I think this one’s been the most complete.”
The full result was altered by stewards after the race when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton as well as Alpine’s Pierre Gasly were disqualified.
Norris had a trickier afternoon to earn his runner-up spot — with the British driver having to pass both Russell and Williams’ Alex Albon after his stop. He then trailed his teammate to the checkered flag, though in the closing stages had to deal with a worsening brake-pedal issue that threatened his ability to finish the race.
“Tough race,” Norris said. “I mean I’m just satisfied, for the result, for the team, the 50th one-two for McLaren is quite an achievement. So happy to be part of that, first of all, and a great race by Oscar.
“I’m (also) happy considering how bad my last few days have been and how much I struggled just to kind of get comfortable and understand how to drive the car.”
Russell finished third for Mercedes’ 300th podium in F1. It was the Briton’s second-straight podium place of the young season, with his consistency leaving him third in the standings — one point ahead of China winner Piastri.
“In the last three races, with the sprint as well, the result we achieved was the maximum (we could achieve), so that gives me a lot of satisfaction,” Russell said.
“If we do deliver a car that is capable of fighting the McLaren, I have no doubt that we can finish ahead because we’re doing such a solid job as a team.”
Last year’s race winner, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took fourth from Ferrari’s Leclerc in the closing laps, with the Monégasque’s race compromised by lap one contact with his Scuderia teammate Hamilton that sheared the left-front endplate from his front wing and hampered his car’s aerodynamics throughout the race.
However, Leclerc and Gasly, who finished fifth and 16th, respectively, were disqualified after each of their cars were found to be 1 kilogram below the minimum weight limit at the conclusion of the race.
Hamilton, who won Saturday’s Sprint race for his first victory in a Ferrari, and who finished sixth on the road in the race was also disqualified because the thickness of the skid block on the underside of the seven-time F1 world champion’s Ferrari was found to be below the permitted minimum limit.
Haas double points finish was boosted by the disqualifications with Esteban Ocon, who finished seventh moving up to fifth, while rookie Oliver Bearman went from 10th to eighth.
Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was sixth, ahead of new seventh-place finisher Alex Albon. Lance Stroll in an Aston Martin moved up to ninth with Carlos Sainz of Williams taking the final point in 10th.
The next race will be held at Japan’s legendary Suzuka Circuit on April 6th to start a triple header with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
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AP Formula 1: https://apnews.com/hub/formula-one
By STEWART BELL
Associated Press
