Picture Credit: X/@F1
56 laps of clean, brilliant and hard-fought racing action. A race in the dry. And some amazing wheel-to-wheel action with the frontrunners putting up a strong performance just like the sport’s rising newcomers; the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix was a brilliant occasion for the drivers and a feast for the intrepid F1 fans around the world.
While McLaren took the victory, Ferrari struggled, somewhere there was also a lot more happening for a lot many on the grid.
SportsTiger bring you the most dominant talking points from the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix:
A dominant win for Oscar Piastri
Prior to entering the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, currently contending in just his third F1 season, had won an F1 race as well as a sprint contest. All that was missing on his resume was a pole position, which the pacy Australian bagged at China.
But what mattered on March 23, was to convert the pole into a win, which the avid youngster did with great success at the Shanghai International circuit. Truth be told, it’s one thing to win a Formula 1 race but required something else, something quite special on the part of Piastri to keep a fast catching Norris at bay. This is what the soon-to-be 24 Oscar Piastri did with much perfection at China.
Great race pace and excellent tyre management were his keywords here at Shanghai on a super Sunday for the McLaren man. In winning his first ever race at the much-liked Asian venue as well his first this season, Piastri has thrown the dagger at his McLaren teammate, Lando Norris; the latter with an excellent chance to dominate the 2025 season.
Charles Leclerc’s hard-fought Chinese GP
He might be a supremely talented driver one who was primed to excel at this race, but Charles Leclerc’s Chinese Grand Prix was a tale of struggle until the very end. Seconds from the start of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, Leclerc, perhaps in a bid to bounce off to a staggering start, ran into the rear of his Ferrari teammate, Sir Lewis Hamilton. Leclerc was, in fact, being pursued hard by Verstappen who began a place behind the Monegasque in sixth.
Resultantly, Charles lost around 30 points of downforce, losing the front end endplate in the skirmish. From that point on, he ended up putting more pressure on the front tires than he would have liked. But despite contesting with a frail front end, Leclerc kept persisting. By lap 10, he was eight tenths down on Sir Lewis Hamilton, then P4. And while for much of his race, Leclerc tried to battle a much-faster George Russell, it just wasn’t enough for Ferrari to break into the podium places.
In the end, struggling for grip in the closing stages coupled with a late surge by Max Verstappen hurt Leclerc’s chances to finish on a strong fourth. Though he fought hard to defend against the mighty Red Bull driver, Charles had to relent his track position and could, therefore, only capture a fighting fifth in the end.
Heartbreak for Fernando Alonso
A race to forget, a contest that wasn’t actually one of you think about it! The legendary Spanish driver had actually won here in China in 2005 from pole. Moreover, he hadn’t ever retired at China until the 2017 race at Shanghai, which is when the 2025 race served up a stalemate for Fernando Alonso.
But this time around, there was an issue with his brakes, the Spaniard voicing the issue loud and clear- “I have no brakes, no brakes at all”- in the middle of lap 5, owing to which he would ultimately race retire. This was a massive blow to Aston Martin, undoubtedly. It ought to be noted that the retirement at China was Alonso’s second in the running, essentially meaning he’s yet to open his account in the fresh season. Tough times, without much doubt.
George Russell’s strong finish for Mercedes
George Russell began his Chinese Grand Prix challenge from second on the row and managed quite well to hold on to a podium finish in the end given a fighting P3. In all, he only found his race pace wanting when compared to the relentless speed of the McLarens but not for once did he seem to come under pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc during the course of the race whom he defended mighty well again.
What must be noted is that not only was Russell’s race at China the second occasion where he comfortably outperformed his teammate Kimi Antonelli, it would also be his second podium on the bounce. Not at all a bad start to the season from the man from King’s Lynn, isn’t it?
