Piastri Leads McLaren 1-2 Finish at 2025 Chinese Grand Prix Amid Ferrari Disqualifications
The 2025 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix at Shanghai International Circuit witnessed a commanding performance by McLaren, with Oscar Piastri securing his first victory of the season, leading teammate Lando Norris to a 1-2 finish. This achievement marked McLaren’s 50th 1-2 finish in their storied history.
The Top Three
Starting from pole position, Piastri maintained his lead throughout the 56-lap race. The Australian showed exceptional control and pace throughout. Norris, despite grappling with brake issues, secured second place, the two drivers displayed McLaren’s dominance on the track. Mercedes’ George Russell completed the podium, finishing third after a solid drive.
Post-race, the drivers shared their feelings on the way the weekend finished.
Race-winner Piastri felt the car gave him what he deserved:
“It’s been an incredible weekend, the car has been pretty mega. Today was a surprise, how differently the tyres behaved. This feels like what I deserved from last week.”
McLaren teammate, Norris, was happy to finish second despite running into some issues:
“A few fun moments. The start I was hoping for, but then George got me in the pit stops. I was a little nervous, but we were better in the second stint.”
“Oscar drove well, he deserved the win. I’m happy with second, good points and great points for the team with a one-two. The brake pedal was my worst nightmare, I was losing two, three, four seconds the last two laps. It was scary but we made it to the end.”
Russell rounded out the final podium spot in third for Mercedes and was delighted with the weekend overall:
“It’s a great result, finishing P3. We knew McLaren were a smidge quicker than us, but more crucial points. I felt it from quite early on that a one-stop was possible, and it turned out easier than we thought possible. It turned out as one of my best weekends in F1.”
Ferrari’s Fortunes Falter
Ferrari faced a tumultuous weekend, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton encountered significant setbacks. Leclerc’s race was compromised early on due to a collision with Hamilton, resulting in damage to his front wing. Despite their efforts to recover, both drivers were disqualified post-race. Leclerc for his car being underweight and Hamilton for excessive skid block wear. These disqualifications marked a rare and disappointing outcome for the Scuderia, as both cars were disqualified from a Grand Prix for the first time in Formula 1 history.
Revised Top 10 Finishers
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. George Russell (Mercedes)
4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
5. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
6. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
7. Alexander Albon (Williams)
8. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
9. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
10. Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams)
Full race results here.
Championship Standings Post-Race
Following the Chinese Grand Prix, Lando Norris leads the Drivers’ Championship by 8 points over Max Verstappen.
Notable Incidents
Fernando Alonso retired on lap 5 due to rear brake overheating. This marked a swift end to the Spaniards race. Gabriel Bortoleto spun into the gravel on the same lap but managed to continue. Pierre Gasly, who finished 11th for Alpine, was also disqualified due to an underweight car.
Moving Forward
McLaren’s performance in Shanghai may have showed their competitive edge in the 2025 season, while Ferrari faces challenges following the disqualifications. As the season progresses, teams will aim to address technical compliance, performance issues and race strategy to enhance their standings in the championship.
Up next on the 2025 F1 calendar is Japan. Will McLaren still be the team to beat or will a team like Red Bull wake up and smell the cherry blossoms at Suzuka Circuit? Just a week break until we go back racing.
