Max Verstappen, from Red Bull Racing, emerged victorious in the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint, overtaking Lewis Hamilton after starting in fourth place on the grid.
Verstappen made an incredible recovery, passing Hamilton and establishing a comfortable lead to secure the win. Sergio Perez finished third in the race.
Despite interruptions from earlier rain, the race continued under cloudy skies. Lando Norris, who started at the front, opted for the medium compound tire, while the rest of the top ten followed suit. George Russell, starting from 11th place, chose the soft tires.
Hamilton managed to launch his car alongside Norris after the formation lap, resulting in Norris losing positions to Alonso, Verstappen, and Perez.
Meanwhile, Perez faced pressure from Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, but Sainz’s attempt to pass Verstappen was unsuccessful. Norris also battled with Charles Leclerc, who eventually overtook him.
Russell, who initially struggled due to tire choice, managed to recover and gain positions by overtaking Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen.
Hamilton expressed concerns about Mercedes’ speed in dry conditions, but managed to keep Alonso out of the DRS zone. Verstappen closed in on Alonso and successfully passed him with the help of DRS.
Hamilton’s car balance and rotation issues became evident, and a braking error allowed Verstappen to take the lead. Russell also made a move, overtaking Zhou Guanyu to secure ninth place.
Verstappen continued to extend his lead, while Sainz tried to challenge Alonso for the final podium position. Perez defended his position against Leclerc, who attempted several overtaking maneuvers but was unsuccessful.
Sainz and Alonso collided earlier in the race, resulting in a puncture for Alonso and his subsequent retirement. Sainz initially resisted Leclerc, but ended up losing the position, allowing Leclerc to finish ahead.
At the front, Verstappen remained unchallenged, with Hamilton finishing in second. Perez recovered to secure third place. Leclerc stood out as the main Ferrari driver, while Norris dropped to sixth. Oscar Piastri and Russell completed the top eight.
