Shanghai (AFP) – Oscar Piastri led from pole to win the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday as McLaren used a one-stop strategy to complete a dominant one-two with Lando Norris second.
George Russell was third in a Mercedes with Red Bull’s world champion Max Verstappen snatching fourth place after a thrilling late pass on Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Lewis Hamilton came home sixth behind his teammate after his first Ferrari victory in Saturday’s sprint race in Shanghai, when Piastri had been second.
“It’s been an incredible weekend, the car has been pretty mega,” said the Australian Piastri, who had been running second a week ago in Melbourne’ season-opener before a late spin.
“Very, very happy. The hard was a much better tyre than everyone expected, so to go all the way to the end was a bit of a surprise, but a happy surprise.”
Norris had to cope with a late brake issue which forced him to settle for second rather than challenge his teammate.
The Briton continues to lead the championship after two race weekends on 44 points from Verstappen on 36.
Russell started from second and knew it was imperative to try to grab the lead off the line.
Instead he was squeezed by Piastri on the long first bend complex, which allowed Norris to surge past into second.
Both Ferraris got past Verstappen on the same bend, relegating the world champion from fourth to sixth.
Leclerc lost part of his front wing when it brushed Hamilton’s rear right wheel but it did not affect his pace.
Hamilton was the first of the front-runners to dive in for new rubber on lap 14.
All the others followed for hard tyres with Russell getting past Norris in the melee.
But the McLaren showed superior pace and surged back past at the end of the pit straight with the help of DRS.
Hamilton began to struggle on the hard compound and allowed his teammate past on lap 21 freeing Leclerc to go after Russell.
On lap 38 Hamilton had to pit again for new tyres, dropping him behind Verstappen.
The front five all stayed out as it became clear they were going to attempt to make the hard tyres last till the end of the 56 laps.
Verstappen had nursed his tyres throughout the race which enabled him to have a late charge on Leclerc and pass the Ferrari at the start of lap 54.
Haas finished with two cars in the points as Esteban Ocon was seventh and rookie Ollie Bearman 10th.
The other points scorers were Mercedes teenager Kimi Antonelli in eighth with Alex Albon ninth in his Williams on his 29th birthday.
