Lando Norris, the early championship leader, is ready for new challenges at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, which includes the season’s first sprint race.
The race will take place on the 5.451km Shanghai International Circuit, known for its long turns and tough braking zones that put a lot of stress on tyres. The weather is expected to be warm and dry, a big change from last weekend’s rainy race in Melbourne, where drivers mostly used wet tyres and spent a lot of time behind the safety car.
Norris managed to hold off Max Verstappen in Australia, even after sliding onto gravel and damaging his car’s floor.
Now, teams have a quick turnaround for China, with only one hour of practice on Friday morning before sprint qualifying in the afternoon. The weekend schedule includes:
- Saturday morning: 19-lap sprint race
- Saturday afternoon: Grand Prix qualifying
- Sunday: Main race (56 laps)
Norris Aims for Another Strong Performance
Norris finished second behind Verstappen in China last year but believes McLaren will be stronger this time.
“I’m confident we can do well because we were fast there last year even with a weaker car,” he said after winning in Melbourne.
Verstappen won in Shanghai last year, dominating the early part of the season before securing his fourth world title. However, in Australia last weekend, the McLarens were much faster than him, with Oscar Piastri overtaking Verstappen for second place.
Verstappen admitted, “We only have a few days before China, so I don’t know how much we can improve.” He is chasing a fifth consecutive world title, a feat only Michael Schumacher has achieved.
Struggles for Hamilton and Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, now driving for Ferrari, had a tough debut with his new team, finishing 10th in Australia. He complained that the car was “a lot worse” than expected.
Both Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc lost time when Ferrari left them on dry tyres too long in the rain.
“McLaren and Red Bull were really fast, so we have work to do,” Hamilton admitted. “But I’m excited to race in China.”
Hamilton holds the record for most wins in Shanghai (six times), including two with McLaren (2008, 2011) and four with Mercedes (2014, 2015, 2017, 2019).
Mercedes, which has won six times in China between 2012 and 2019, had a solid start in Melbourne. George Russell finished third, and young Italian Kimi Antonelli impressed with a fourth-place finish on his debut.
Rookies Face Tough Start
Among the six rookie drivers, Antonelli performed best, while Haas’s Oliver Bearman was the only other to finish the race. Isack Hadjar crashed on the formation lap, Jack Doohan hit the wall on lap one, and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) and Liam Lawson (Red Bull) retired late in the race.
China’s F1 Star Zhou Guanyu Now a Reserve Driver
Zhou Guanyu, China’s first and only F1 driver, was a fan favorite when he raced for Sauber in Shanghai last year. However, he lost his seat this season. Fans can still see him at the race, but only in his new role as Ferrari’s reserve driver.
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