formula 1
Verstappen show in Shanghai: First victory in China
The Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen (r) dominated the race in Shanghai. photo
© Andy Wong/AP
Victory in the sprint race, pole for the Grand Prix, victory in the race: Max Verstappen turned his return to the vast empire of China into a demonstration of power. Nico Hülkenberg can also be satisfied.
Verstappen further extended his lead in the classification with the almost optimal number of points at the weekend thanks to his sprint victory the day before. He only had to give up the point for the fastest race lap to Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
Second place at the Shanghai International Circuit was Lando Norris in a McLaren, followed by World Championship runner-up Sergio Pérez in a Red Bull who came third. Nico Hülkenberg was the only regular German driver in the Haas to finish in the points; he finished tenth behind record world champion Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes. “That was fantastic,” said Verstappen over the radio, “we did really well this weekend.”
Alonso attack at the start
Where China’s 2.29 meter tall basketball legend Yao Ming had just walked through the starting grid, the Formula 1 big boys showed what they can do. Verstappen got off to a top start when the red lights went out. The Dutchman gave Red Bull its 100th pole in the premier motorsport class on Saturday. Sebastian Vettel got the first one almost exactly 15 years ago on April 18, 2009 – and also in China.
When he returned to China after a five-year break due to corona, Verstappen masterfully headed towards his first Shanghai victory from the start, easily fending off Fernando Alonso’s attack in the first corner. The Spanish veteran, who had already started at the first China race in 2004, pushed past Pérez on the outside from third place on the grid and also attacked Verstappen in one swing. On the inside, the 26-year-old Dutchman with three titles gave the 42-year-old Spaniard with two titles no chance.
Record world champion and China record winner Hamilton is suffering
Behind them, Hülkenberg also had a good first lap and temporarily improved to seventh place after starting ninth in qualifying. China’s record winner Hamilton came 18th after the huge disappointment. Didn’t fare well at all after second place in the sprint race. The winner of the last Chinese Grand Prix in 2019 initially even slipped to second-to-last place and complained about the soft rubber on his Mercedes: “I can’t move with the tires.”
Verstappen couldn’t say that about the medium tires. After the fifth pole for the fifth Grand Prix of the year, he delivered another brilliant performance. Before he came into the pits to change tires on lap 14, he was already around ten seconds ahead of Pérez. The good thing about it: There was enough time for the Mexican to come to the pits quickly after Verstappen. As usual at Red Bull, the crew completed both cars at a rapid pace.
Within just a few laps, Verstappen had regained the lead without the drivers in front of him even being in the pits. As if at the push of a button, he reeled off the fastest racing laps. The competition remained powerless. Only in the wet qualifying on Friday for the sprint did he weaken – by his standards – and only came in fourth place. After the 19 laps of the short version of the race, he was over 13 seconds ahead of second place.
Verstappen in his own league
After 19 laps of 56 in the Grand Prix, he had taken the lead again and was heading towards his 58th career victory. When Formula 1 last competed in China five years ago, he only had five under his belt. Since his first World Cup triumph in 2021, Verstappen has been in a league of his own. The victory in China was the fourth in the fifth race this year. In Australia it failed due to a defect. Of the past 49 races since the start of 2022, Verstappen has won 38.
In front of the sold-out crowd at the Shanghai International Circuit, the entertainment value continued despite Verstappen’s dominance. On Friday and Saturday, the enthusiastic fans couldn’t be happy about the lack of action and Formula 1 had great PR in the country of the world’s most important car market.
After an engine failure and Valtteri Bottas’ retirement from the Sauber, the safety car had to come out, the tires were quickly changed again and the residue and lead was gone. Also for Verstappen, who had Lando Norris in the McLaren, Charles Leclerc and Pérez behind him when the safety car drove back into the pits. Within a few kilometers he was already one and a half seconds ahead before Bernd Mayländer had to go out with the safety car again. When he drove back in, the game was repeated: Verstappen drove away towards victory.