Internet Desk: Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton won his fifth Chinese GP title at Shanghai on Sunday. The Briton, starting at pole position led from the start to finish the race in style. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel & Red Bull’s Max Verstappen finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The win also sees Hamilton level on points with Vettel in the driver’s championship after the first two races of the F1 season.
Verstappen, who started the race in 16th position on the starting grid surprised everyone to finish in third place. He was given a close fight by his teammate Daniel Ricciardo on the final lap.
Ricciardo ended up in fourth position, followed by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in fifth and Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas in sixth.
Force India’s Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon finished the race at 9th and 10th places respectively.
Vettel have to blame himself for a poor start on a wet track.
“A great job done by Vettel and this young dude Max. I`m so immensely proud of everyone in this team. We work so hard to make this possible,” Hamilton said after winning the reace.
Vettel, who had to be satisfied with the second position said, “The safety car came just as I was about to start to feel the dry tyres were a lot quicker but then I had a very exciting race. I was stuck in the train for a little while but then tried to chase down Lewis Hamilton. It was a good match. It was good fun.”
Sunday`s result appears to confirm early predictions that these two former world champions will be locked in an intense duel for the championship this season after Vettel took the season`s opening weekend ahead of Hamilton in Melbourne two weeks ago.
The F1 action will now shift towards the Bahrain GP next week on April 16 at the Sahkir circuit.
Standings at the Chinese GP:
- Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) at 1hr 37min 36.158 sec
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 6.250
3. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) at 45.192
4. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) at 46.035
5. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) at 48.076
6. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) at 48.808
7. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Toro Rosso) at 72.893
8. Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas) at 1 lap
9. Sergio Perez (MEX/Force India) at 1 lap
10. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India) at 1 lap
11. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) at 1 lap
12. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Renault) at 1 lap
13. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) at 1 lap
14. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams) at 1 lap
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) at 1 lap