McLaren driver Oscar Piastri turned his stunning first-ever Formula 1 pole position on Saturday into a commanding victory at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, Round 2 of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship.
Note: This report was written before Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix a couple of hours after the race ended in Shanghai. Read more here>>>
After the heartbreak of watching a podium disappear in Australia, he bounced back in the finest style. Piastri found an extra gear at Shanghai International Circuit, setting the pace in qualifying and throughout the race. On Saturday, he finished P2 in the Sprint Race, which was won by Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton. A good points haul for the 23-year-old Australian this weekend in China.
Piastri was able to cut off fast-starting George Russell when they roared off the grid. It was close as they entered that never-ending Turn 1 and Turn 2 complex, but the McLaren edged ahead of the Mercedes, and Norris in the other McLaren also got past. By the time the dust settled, the Papaya cars led from the Silver Arrow and the rest of the pack.
From there, Piastri controlled proceedings like a veteran. He kept the gap between him and Norris at three to four seconds-plus throughout the race. The Aussie was never really threatened in what was a stalemate sort of race on Sunday. Cat and mouse, if you wish, between the two dominant McLaren duo.
After the reality of his third F1 victory sunk in, Piastri summed up: "It's been an incredible weekend from start to finish. The car's been pretty mega the whole time. I think today was a bit of a surprise with how differently the tyres behaved."
Piastri: I'm just so proud of the whole weekend
Savouring his victory in his typical nonchalant style, clearly chuffed, Piastri said after the race: "This is what I feel like I deserved from last week. The team did a mega job with the one-two. I'm very happy. On the medium, it was still a bit tricky but much better than yesterday. The hard was a much better tyre than everyone expected, or certainly than we expected.
"To go all the way to the end like that was a bit of a surprise, but a happy surprise," added Piastri, whose handsome points haul this weekend in China sees him P4 in the standings, ten points adrift. The win keeps him very much in touch after his meagre two-point haul in Melbourne.
While Norris did not seem to have an answer to his teammate in the race, he also ran out of brakes late in the race. Any thoughts of attacking his teammate for P1 turned into defending from fast-approaching Russell, who delivered another impressive drive to P3.
Norris: Just how we wanted the race to go
In the end, the second-placed McLaren crossed the line nearly ten seconds down on Piastri and just over a second ahead of the Mercedes, when the gap had been north of four to five seconds for much of the race.
Norris reported after the race: "A few fun moments. The start, I was hoping for exactly that, so Turn One went to plan. Then George got me on the pit stops. I was a little bit nervous but our pace was a lot better in the second stint. So a tough race just with the management.
"I don't think many people expected a one-stop today, so it was good and Oscar drove well, he was quick the whole race. Tried to get close but in the end just couldn't. He deserved the win and drove very well all weekend.
"I'm happy with second. It's good points and great points for us as a team with a one-two. Just how we wanted the race to go," beamed Norris, who leads the 2025 F1 Drivers' standings after two weekends.
Once again, Russell rose to the occasion
Mercedes driver Russell was best of the rest when perhaps his car was not the second-best. Or at least, no one thought it was until Red Bull and Ferrari went AWOL when it mattered.
A strong weekend for Toto Wolff's team, with Russell still rising as the team leader. An all-Merc-power podium sweetened the deal.
Russell said in Parc Ferme: "A great result finishing P3. Really pleased. We knew McLaren were a smidge quicker than us, a few crucial points, but well done to those two. I felt it from quite early on that a one-stop could be possible and it turned out it was slightly easier than we probably all anticipated.
"But nevertheless, the car has been great this weekend and probably one of my best weekends in Formula 1 in terms of performance, so really pleased with that," added Russell, ahead of celebrating his 17th Grand Prix podium.
Verstappen did what he could with the Red Bull RB21
Clearly lacking the kind of firepower the Dutch ace used to tap into a couple of seasons ago. Verstappen was P2 twice during the 56 laps—but only briefly. His final stint was classic Max, as he powered through the Ferrari duo to claim P4.
The Reds could not live up to the great Hamilton victory in the Sprint Race 24 hours earlier. Charles Leclerc tagged Lewis Hamilton into Turn 1 on the opening lap. Ironically, the broken wing on the #16 made it faster than the #44. Hamilton gave him a free pass, but they simply could not make inroads on the front-runners.
Leclerc thus finished P5, albeit 23 seconds down on the winner, with Hamilton P6 a couple of seconds adrift of his teammate. An underwhelming Sunday for Ferrari, when they showed what they are capable of on Saturday.
Battle for P7 a race-long duel with several drivers in the mix
The Racing Bulls, who had impressed so much in qualifying with Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar, went off the boil in the race, which allowed Esteban Ocon to deliver one of his best drives in memory to take P7 for Haas.
Mercedes teenager Kimi Antonelli had a solid weekend—no match for Russell at this stage of his two F1 weekends. However, the mileage is invaluable, and bagging points for P8 and best rookie on the day with a weekend of no bent metal is all his team can ask for at this stage of his impressive journey in the top flight. The Italian was voted Driver of the Day by F1 fans. TikTok plebs?
If anyone deserved the accolade, it would be Alex Albon, who has got the better of his illustrious new teammate Carlos Sainz. The Thai driver delivered a gutsy drive to fend off a gaggle of brawlers to claim P9. The Spaniard laboured to P13, 20 seconds behind his teammate when the chequered flag waved.
Another DoD candidate was Oliver Bearman, who finally showed why he belongs in F1 with some sweet overtakes on his way to claiming P10 on a very strong day for Haas. A great recovery from 'nowhereland' on Sunday, for a valuable double points scoop for the American team.
Chinese Grand Prix pointless disappointments
Aston Martin went home pointless after Fernando Alonso retired the AMR25 early on, caused by flaming brakes, while teammate Lance Stroll went his own route, starting on Hards. But the tactic backfired. Having watched the Canadian take the Pirelli white-band tyres far, the team opted to only do one stop. He finished P12.
Also pointless were Alpine duo Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan. The French team were exposed in China; they simply don't have the pace—despite their French veteran putting the car where it shouldn't be. But not for too long. He was P11, losing P10 late in the race to a charging Bearman.
His rookie teammate did what was expected of him. Nothing stellar, but at least Doohan finished his first Grand Prix. He was P16.
Well trounced by his teammate Albon, Carlos Sainz cannot catch a break this season so far. His arrival at Williams galvanised the team, but his performances have been disappointing for one held in such high regard. Albon owns him thus far. Sure, it's a new team, but half the grid are bedding themselves in much like the Spaniard. His showings have been confounding.
It was another massive drop in his 'shares' this weekend for Liam Lawson, who was not only in a different league to his Red Bull teammate—the Kiwi was in the 'Very Little League' when he should be bringing his A-game.
We've seen an 'unknown driver', apparently totally at a loss in that second car. Is it cursed? Whatever the case for Lawson, Sergio Perez’s reaction watching his old car in the wrong hands would be priceless!
Sauber laid claim to the title of worst team on the grid
Despite a reasonable qualifying session for Nico Hülkenberg, it was freefall for the veteran, who followed home his Sauber rookie teammate Gabriel Bortoleto. An anonymous weekend.
Last of the runners was Yuki Tsunoda in P19, the Racing Bulls driver compromised by a front wing element that snapped at speed, forcing him to pit for a change. But despite a stellar qualifying for both cars, it was a Sunday to forget.
Isack Hadjar made it to the grid this time, but what was an impressive P7 on Saturday saw him slither down to P14 on a day that promised so much for the Racing Bulls and their handy car. But it all went pear-shaped again for Red Bull's junior team.
Ending this report on a positive note, final words to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella:
"The race has been more tense than it might have looked. We were nervous because we knew that there was a lot of graining and it wasn't clear whether it would be a two or a one [stop], if our competitors split which one do you pick?
"The race has been more tense than it might have looked. We were nervous because we knew that there was a lot of graining and it wasn't clear whether it would be a two or a one [stop], if our competitors split which one do you pick?
"Around 15–20 laps to the end we started to develop a problem for Lando on the brake pedal. Lando did a very good job together with the team to manage through the problem, adapting the driving style so that it didn't become a terminal problem. So not without some tension, we bring home a P1–P2," added Stella.
After two GPs and a Sprint Race, McLaren lead the 2025 F1 Constructors' standings ahead of Mercedes and Red Bull. Norris tops the F1 Drivers' standings from Verstappen in P2 and Russell in P3. Piastri's victory puts him P4 and back in touch.
2025 Chinese Grand Prix Result
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