Runaway driver standings leader Max Verstappen said his Red Bull “felt amazing” after winning the Chinese Grand Prix for his fourth win in the first five races of the 2024 Formula One season.
Reigning champion Verstappen finished almost 14 seconds ahead of second-placed Lando Norris and more than 19 seconds clear of team-mate Sergio Perez in a race featuring two safety car interventions in quick succession.
“We were incredibly quick all weekend,” said Verstappen, who started on pole in Shanghai, adding that he had “survived” the restarts.
“It was just enjoyable to drive. I could do whatever I wanted with the car. To achieve what we did is fantastic.”
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The first halt in the action took place when Kick Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas suffered an engine failure at Turn 11 on lap 20, leading to Norris and team-mate Charles Leclecr, who finished fourth, overtaking Perez.
Red Bull had hoped Perez would catch both drivers and complete a one-two for them after a further delay caused by two incidents on lap 27.
Chinese GP results 2024
The only moment of concern for Verstappen, who is 25 points above Perez in the standings, appeared to be hitting material on the track as he cruised to victory.
“You hear noises a little bit,” he said. “I’ve had it in the past where I’ve retired quite close to the end. There was a bit of debris from a car.
“When the tyres are getting cold and old, it’s very easy to puncture them. I wanted to double check.”
RACE CLASSIFICATION (LAP 56/56)
Win #58 for Verstappen, podium #15 for Norris 👏👏#F1 #CHINESEGP PIC.TWITTER.COM/5O5KKF8DA2
— Formula 1 (@F1) APRIL 21, 2024
Red Bull are 44 points above Ferrari, for whom Carlos Sainz came fifth ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who won the race for a record sixth time when it was last held in 2019, came ninth for Mercedes, with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg completing the top 10.
Verstappen will now attempt to win the Miami Grand Prix for a third consecutive edition when the championship heads to Florida in two weeks’ time.
“It’s normally a good race for us,” he said. “It’s normally a little bit more straightforward in terms of strategy but it’s a difficult track. I’m excited – it’s always a crazy weekend there.”
