The papaya racing outfit of McLaren looked rock solid from start to finish at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, with a dream result as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris roared to a 1-2 finish. This, despite Norris suffering braking problems late on in the race.
Piastri claimed his first podium of the season, and now shares a win with his teammate. Piastri flopped up at the end of the season-opening Australian GP, finishing a disappointing ninth.
In Shanghai, however, the 23-year-old Australian was dailed in the whole weekend, taking pole position in qualifying, coming second during the Sprint on Saturday, and cruising to victory on raceday. All in all, it was a fruitful weekend for the Aussie, picking up 32 points toward his first real title shot.
“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 the tyres behaved but just super proud of the whole weekend.
“This is what I feel like I deserved from last week, so (I’m) extremely happy. The team did a mega job, 1-2 obviously. Very, very happy,” Piastri said.
Norris looked off the pace to finish second but still had enough to outpace George Russel and Max Verstappen. The Brit picked up 19 points nonetheless, which still puts him on top of the world drivers' championship standings, while McLaren currently stand head and shoulders above the rest of the pack.
The Papaya's form of late has formed into a wave of momentum, which has given both Norris and Piastri an opportunity to win a consecutive contructors' title, with one of them also possibly wining the prtestigious drivers' title. Both their drivers certainly have the pace and nerve to get the job done.
Piastri looked one with the car as he led the pack throughout the 56 lap race at Shanghai putting a staggering 23 seconds between him and fifth place’s Charles Leclerc.
This weekend, Ferrari showed some pace that could rival McLaren MCL39 but both cars touched during the opening lap of the race, dropping both Lewis Hamilton and Leclerc behind. Leclerc decided not to pit despite a damaged front wing, while Hamilton pitted twice. Hamilton could not make up the time lost during those tyre changes.
On Saturday, Hamilton’s pace during the sprint looked quick enough to challenge Zak Brown’s team, finishing six seconds ahead of Piastri after 19 laps.
Defending champions, Verstappen struggled this weekend. Verstappen said he expected to have a difficult race after Saturday’s sprint and qualifying session but still ,anaged fourth, however sloppy the RB21 is at the moment.
The Dutchman, who is looking for his fifth consecutive world title this season, has been the lone gunman for Red Bull so far this season. The constructor title seems out of sight for them this year, due to the poor start to the season fo teammate Liam Lawson. The Kiwi had to settle with a P15 finish, a little over three seconds behind rookie Isack Hadjar in the Racing Bulls Honda.
Mercedes, meanwhile, are looking promising and for now look like McLaren’s only real threat. Russell's third was his second of the season, while Kimi Antonelli finished eighth.