The key figures of the Chinese GP
Hamilton restored tifosi optimism with his sprint victory, though McLaren dominated the weekend with a one-two finish on Sunday.
On the up
The Chinese Grand Prix kicked off with Lewis Hamilton clinching his first victory in red, albeit only in Saturday's sprint race. The British driver, starting from pole position, controlled the race from lights to flag, keeping his composure under pressure from Max Verstappen and expertly managing tyre degradation.
However, the standout performer of the weekend was Oscar Piastri. The Australian narrowly missed out on victory in the sprint, finishing second behind Hamilton and ahead of Verstappen, but dominated everywhere else. He secured pole—the first of his career—and achieved a commanding victory on Sunday. McLaren left Shanghai with an impressive one-two finish, significantly boosting their Constructors' Championship tally.
On the down
If Hamilton was Saturday’s hero, he also featured prominently among Sunday’s disappointments. The seven-time world champion had a challenging main race, initially finishing sixth but later disqualified for excessive skid wear on his car, breaching the minimum 9mm thickness rule. Ferrari’s woes doubled as teammate Charles Leclerc, who fought hard to finish fifth, also faced disqualification alongside Pierre Gasly, both failing to meet the mandatory minimum weight of 800kg post-race. This saw Ferrari abruptly lose 18 crucial championship points, bringing their Saturday elation crashing down to earth.
Further frustration came for Fernando Alonso, who suffered his second consecutive retirement at the season's outset due to brake issues on lap four, marking the only abandonment of the race. Fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz also struggled throughout the weekend, crossing the line in 13th but later benefiting from the DNF of Leclerc, Hamilton, and Gasly to finish tenth, earning his first championship point of the year.
Driver of the Day
The 'Driver of the Day' award went to Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The young Italian Mercedes driver once again emerged as the best rookie, crossing the line eighth—upgraded to sixth after Ferrari's disqualifications—despite severe floor damage to his W16 caused by debris from the Hamilton-Leclerc contact. "Considering the car was severely damaged, holding on and finishing eighth, without complaints and just getting on with the job, demonstrates his maturity and potential," remarked Toto Wolff after the race.
The Surprise
The weekend delivered several surprises, notably from Haas drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman. Both delivered solid performances, particularly the young Briton, finishing seventh and tenth respectively, subsequently elevated to fifth and eighth due to penalties for Leclerc and Hamilton. These were vital points for the American team in the constructors’ standings.
Alex Albon provided another unexpected highlight, initially finishing ninth and ultimately promoted to seventh. The Thai driver has enjoyed an impressive start to the season, consistently scoring points and looking increasingly comfortable in his FW47—quite the opposite of teammate Carlos Sainz, who continues to struggle to replicate the strong form seen in pre-season tests in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi last year.
The Disappointment
Lando Norris didn't have the strongest of weekends either, despite leaving China still leading the championship. The British driver was consistently outpaced by teammate Piastri, securing only one point in Saturday's sprint after an off-track excursion while attempting to pass Russell. His Sunday performance was steadier, though he finished second, 9.7 seconds adrift of Piastri, who undeniably owned the weekend.
Consistency Award
George Russell’s quietly impressive start to the season deserves special mention. With two podiums—finishing third in both Australia and China—and a fourth-place finish in the sprint, he now sits third in the drivers’ standings, positioning himself as a strong contender to challenge the two McLaren drivers and Max Verstappen, who currently appear the clear title contenders.