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Formula 1

The Bulls conquer the Red Dragon

DRC’s race review of the returning Chinese Grand Prix

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1 year ago

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The Bulls conquer the Red Dragon

The Formula One circus brought their parade to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix, returning after five years and the excitement in the air was quite visible as the Chinese public gathered in masses to see the Grand Prix weekend that lay ahead of them. And there’s no doubt as to why they were gathered up in such high numbers.

The Shanghai International Circuit has been home to a lot of enthralling moments in Formula One racing. Be it Hamilton’s pit lane screw up which made the 2007 world championship more exciting, Schumacher’s 91st and last win, Buemi’s self-destructing car, or the pit Lane racing between Vettel and Hamilton.

After four non-racing years, the track was resurfaced a bit. More specifically, there has been an additional layer of Tarmac and Bitumen added to ‘re-surface’ the track. No additional changes were made to the track.

Regulations had changed over four years, the new ground effect cars would post at different times and would have different aero configurations compared to the previous cars. This meant that the teams and drivers we going blind into the race weekend, only relying on Simulator data and projections.

The Chinese Grand Prix Weekend was the first sprint weekend of the ‘24 season, with the format being a Free Practice session and a Sprint qualifying session on Friday, followed by the sprint race and a Qualifying session for the main race on a Saturday, with the Race on Sunday.

Free Practice

Free Practice began a small fire on the trackside grass which saw a slight delay in the commencement of the session. the drivers were all over the track, trying to get information and understand the dynamics of the track. As mentioned before, the regulations have been changed so each driver felt like a rookie, trying to find cheat codes and grip wherever they could find them.

At the end of the session, Lance Stroll topped the chart with a 1:36.302 followed by Oscar Piastri (+0.327) and Max Verstappen (+0.358).

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Sprint Qualifying

Sprint Qualifying saw the first hints of rain over the entire weekend. The Sprint Qualifying sessions didn’t see any action per se.

SQ1

Eliminated: Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, Yuki Tsunoda, Logan Sargent.

SQ2

Eliminated: George Russell, Kevin Magnussen, Nico Hulkenberg, Daniel Ricciardo, Lance Stroll.

SQ3

The drivers found no grip on the track due to the clouds giving way. Intermediate tyres seemed to be the choice for the teams.

Lando Norris posted a time of 1:57.940 which bagged him his first sprint pole. Hamilton followed with a 1:59.201 which got him second place. The top three was completed by Fernando Alonso with a lap that clocked in 1:59.915.

Norris’ lap was deleted by the stewards for exceeding track limits which gifted Hamilton Pole Position. A happy Hamilton was soon left dejected as Norris’ lap was re-instated which dropped the 7x World Champion back to P2.

Sprint Race

As the lights went out for the Sprint race in Shanghai, Norris shot off the line with Hamilton following close behind. As the duo reached Turn 1, Norris ran wide and dropped down to P6 as the field went past him and his McLaren. By Lap 3, Hamilton led from Alonso then Verstappen then Sainz and Perez. Lap 7 saw Verstappen overtake Alonso for P2. As Alonso dropped, he upped his defence as on Lap 15, he kept both the Ferraris and Perez at bay.

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But on Lap 16, his defence was thwarted by Carlos Sainz who went wheel to wheel with his fellow Spaniard. Perez took advantage of this skirmish and shot past which was quite reminiscent of the ‘Through goes Hamilton’ moment from Silverstone 2022. Alonso suffered a puncture during the skirmish he had with Carlos which saw him come into the pits and retire.

The Sprint race came to an end with Verstappen taking the chequered flag with Hamilton and Perez filling out the podium positions.

Qualifying

Q1 saw home hero Zhou Guanyu, Kevin Magnussen, Lewis Hamilton, Yuki Tsunoda, and Logan Sargent drop out and get eliminated. Hamilton had a disastrous qualifying, only able to do as good as P18. The last time Hamilton was knocked out of Q1 was in Jeddah at the Saudi Arabian GP in 2022.

Q2 saw Sainz take a dip into the gravel trap at the final corner and spin out, hitting the barrier and damaging his car. He lost his Front wing and was forced to pit.

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As the session ended, Lance Stroll, Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Ocon, Alex Albon, and Pierre Gasly were eliminated.

Q3 saw Oscar Piastri almost replicate Sainz’s collision in his #87 McLaren. Q3 ended with Max Verstappen taking Pole with a banker lap of 1:333.660. This is Red Bull’s centenary pole position and also the track where they scored their first Pole Position in the Hands of Sebastian. The other Red Bull of Sergio Perez locked out the front row. Fernando Alonso placed his Aston Martin in P3, with both McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri sitting comfortably in P4 and P5.

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Race

The race was contested on the 21st of April, 2024 through 56 laps. little drizzle over the track before the race meant that grip would be scarce. A two-stop strategy would be optimal with more emphasis on the hard tyres.

As the lights went out for the main race, Verstappen and Perez went off the line swiftly but Alonso reacted quicker than the Mexican. This caught him off guard which allowed Alonso to pass him around the outside to take P2. At the back, Hulkenberg made big moves in his Haas by overtaking both the Ferraris.

By Lap 5, Perez started inching closer to Alonso to gain back his position, everything stayed the same until Lap 20. The yellow flag was brought out as Valterri Bottas crashed out. A virtual Safety Car was put into effect which turned into a Full Safety Car.

By Lap 27, The Safety Car was brought in but was redeployed again as both RBs Tsunoda and Ricciardo crashed out due to a spin and a collision with Stroll respectively.

Lap 33 had Hamilton recover to P10 which showed his immense understanding of the track. With the second Safety car, a lot of cars pitted which handed the lead to Norris. As Lap 40, came by, Verstappen overtook Norris for the lead and built an 8 sec lead over him. Alonso kept an eye for Sainz at the back and overtook Hamilton and Piastri to seal the deal.

On Lap 54, Verstappen had built a 12-second lead on Norris and as the chequered flag dropped on at the end of Lap 56 he coasted away for a beautiful Chinese Grand Prix. Lando Norris finished a strong P2 with the third spot getting occupied by Sergio Perez.

The Bulls conquer the Red Dragon

Home Hero Zhou Guanyu shared a wholesome with his countrymen as he was given his spot on the grid after the race. He shed a tear and waved proudly at his fans who showed him support and love throughout the weekend.

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Here is the Final Race Classification after the scintillating 56 laps:

The Bulls conquer the Red Dragon

Championship Standings

The Bulls conquer the Red Dragon
The Bulls conquer the Red Dragon

Verstappen extends his championship lead while His and Perez’s valiant efforts help Red Bull stay on the top of the Constructors Standings.

All in all, it was an amazing weekend for Formula One racing and it only goes to show that China deserves a spot on the F1 calendar for all its exciting track action. The next race is the Miami Grand Prix which will be contested from the 3rd of May to the 6th of May.

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Formula 1

Oscar Piastri Takes Two On The Trot: Formula 1 Saudi Arabia GP

Published

2 days ago

on

April 22, 2025

By

Oscar Piastri with his winner trophy
Credits: Formula One

McLaren and Oscar Piastri managed to take their first-ever win in the streets of Jeddah after fending off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Charles Leclerc scores Ferrari’s first podium of the 2025 season. Lando Norris recovers to 4th position whilst the Mercedes pair struggle with tire wear.

McLaren: Two shots at the WDC

Oscar Piastri claimed his second consecutive Grand Prix win, backing up his dominant performance in Bahrain with a hard-fought victory in Jeddah. The Australian started from P2, just 0.010s off Max Verstappen’s pole time, but managed a lightning launch off the line.

A dramatic Turn 1 saw slight contact between Piastri and Verstappen, which left the Red Bull driver with a 5-second time penalty but still in control of the race in terms of track position. Piastri struggled to follow in dirty air, dropping back by 2–3 seconds before jumping Verstappen during the pit stop phase. Once in clean air, he managed the race flawlessly, holding a 4-second cushion to seal his second win of 2025.

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Despite showing blistering pace in practice, Lando Norris made a costly error in Q3 that left him starting P10. Opting for an alternate strategy, Norris began the race on Hard tyres while the rest of the grid, bar a few, went with the Mediums.

The strategy paid off. A long opening stint gave him fresh Mediums in the second half, allowing him to slice through the field. He passed George Russell late in the race to secure a commendable P4 finish.

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Red Bull: Fast But Flawed

Max Verstappen looked to have bounced back from a disappointing Bahrain with a pole position on Saturday and solid pace on Sunday. However, the Turn 1 tangle with Piastri cost him dearly, with the resulting 5-second penalty handed out during his pit stop.

Although he had the pace to stay close, Verstappen couldn’t get within DRS range of the McLaren in front and had to settle for P2.

On the other side of the garage, Yuki Tsunoda qualified a strong P9 but was involved in a Lap 1 incident with Pierre Gasly, forcing him to retire early and triggering the first Safety Car.

Verstappen comes second to Piastri in Jeddah
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – APRIL 20: Second placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing lifts his trophy on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 20, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202504200325 // Usage for editorial use only //

Mercedes: Tire Woes in the Desert

Both Mercedes drivers started strong, with Russell in P3 and rookie Kimi Antonelli in P5, but tire degradation quickly became an issue.

Forced to pit earlier than ideal, both drivers faded in the second stint. Russell was overtaken by both Leclerc and Norris, while Antonelli came under late pressure from Hamilton but held on to P6. Despite the struggles, Mercedes remains second in the Constructors’ standings.

Ferrari On The Podium

Charles Leclerc finally opened Ferrari’s podium account for 2025. Starting from the second row, the Monegasque opted for an overcut strategy, running 30 laps on his opening Medium stint. With fresher tires in the second half, Leclerc was able to pass George Russell and hold off a charging Lando Norris for P3.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton had a more difficult day, finishing P7 after a quiet race, nearly 31 seconds off Leclerc.

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Williams Bounce Back With Double Points

Williams bounced back after a tough Bahrain weekend. Carlos Sainz qualified P8 and maintained the position throughout the race.

Alex Albon, starting P11, drove a clean, smart race to finish P9. In the closing laps, rookie Isack Hadjar tried to pressure both Williams drivers, but Sainz cleverly stayed within DRS range of Albon, helping the team lock down a double points finish.


Racing Bulls Sneak Into The Points

Liam Lawson outqualified teammate Isack Hadjar for the first time this season in P12, but his race was undone by a 10-second penalty for an incident with Jack Doohan.

Hadjar, meanwhile, employed an offset strategy similar to Norris’, climbing from P14 to finish in P10 — his second points finish in as many races.

Alpine Leaves Points On The Table

Pierre Gasly looked set for another strong weekend, qualifying P9. But a Lap 1 tangle with Yuki Tsunoda ended his race early. Jack Doohan had little to celebrate too, starting P17 and finishing P18 — a tough outing for the Enstone team.

Haas Underwhelms

It was a subdued weekend for Haas. Esteban Ocon was knocked out in Q1 and finished P14, having pitted early under the Safety Car. Oliver Bearman, who debuted here last year, showed quiet improvement to take P13 — but neither driver challenged for points.

Aston’s Attempt To Extract Performance

Fernando Alonso had a low-key but clean race, climbing from P13 to finish P12. Lance Stroll, meanwhile, made headlines for the wrong reasons — his 75th Q1 exit now makes him the driver with the most Q1 eliminations in F1 history. He started and finished in P16.

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Sauber’s Increasing Frustration

Another race, another struggle for Sauber. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto started 18th and 20th, respectively, and finished in P15 and P17. Once again, the Swiss team left the race with zero points and growing frustration.

Driver Standings

Oscar Piastri now leads the McLaren charge, 10 points clear of Norris and 12 ahead of Verstappen. It’s tight at the top.

Constructor’s Championship

McLaren strengthened their lead at the top, now leading Mercedes by 77 points. Red Bull trails Mercedes by 21 points. Ferrari is slowly extending their gap to Williams in P5.

Next Race At Miami

With a one-week break before the paddock heads to the U.S., all eyes are on McLaren. Lando will aim to repeat his 2024 Miami heroics, while Piastri looks to build his lead. Max Verstappen, meanwhile, will be desperate to strike back at a track he usually dominates.


Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

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Formula 1

Jeddah’s High-Speed Challenge: Bravery, Precision, and Peril Await at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

As the final stop of the triple-header, Formula 1 heads to Jeddah. One of the fastest and most challenging street circuits on the calendar, setting the stage for a thrilling race weekend.

Published

7 days ago

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April 18, 2025

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Jeddah’s High-Speed Challenge: Bravery, Precision, and Peril Await at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

The Formula 1 circus heads to Jeddah for the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where speed and precision will be pushed to the limit. Known for its blistering pace and unforgiving layout, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit leaves no room for error. With narrow walls, high-speed corners, and minimal margins, it’s a true test of nerve. Drivers and teams will need sharp focus as the championship begins to take shape under the lights of the Arabian coast.

About The Circuit

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit, designed by Carsten Tilke, son of renowned track designer Hermann Tilke, is a challenging and fast street circuit that spans 6.1 kilometres along the Red Sea coast. It is characterized by 27 corners, most of which are high-speed and require precise car control through quick changes in direction. The circuit’s layout, with a mix of long straights and tight corners, presents 2 crucial overtaking opportunities, particularly into Turn 1 and Turn 27. The narrow nature of the track, combined with concrete walls just millimetres away, adds a high-risk element, making every mistake potentially race-ending.


While the technical sections test a car’s balance and setup, the long straights allow teams to focus on straight-line speed and braking stability. The night race, illuminated by bright floodlights, increases the sense of urgency, as visibility can be tricky around some of the track’s tighter corners, demanding even more from the drivers’ reflexes and strategic thinking.

Jeddah’s High-Speed Challenge: Bravery, Precision, and Peril Await at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

(Credit – formula1.com)



Tires For This Weekend



For Round 5 of the season, Pirelli has opted for a softer compound range than seen in Rounds 1–4. Teams will have the C3 (Hard), C4 (Medium), and C5 (Soft) tyres available in Jeddah.

This softer allocation suggests a likely shift towards two-stop strategies for most teams, although some may attempt a one-stopper with extreme tyre management. Final strategies will become clearer after FP3, once teams have completed longer race simulation runs.

What to look out for

McLaren Duel: Teammates Turn Title Rivals

McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris currently lead the World Drivers’ Championship, separated by just three points. Piastri will be looking to build on his flawless weekend in Bahrain, where he showcased consistency and composure. The Jeddah circuit has been kind to him in the past—he won both the Sprint and Feature Race here during the 2021 F2 season.

Lando Norris will be looking to get back to form and maintain his WDC lead after his messy weekend in Bahrain.

“Jeddah is a track that I really enjoy and have good memories of from past visits. I’m determined to hit the ground running in Saudi.”, said Piastri.


Red Bull Reset: Pressure Mounts After Bahrain Blip

Red Bull endured a disappointing race in Bahrain, with Max Verstappen finishing sixth and Yuki Tsunoda claiming just two points in ninth. Tensions reportedly rose behind the scenes, as Verstappen’s camp clashed with Helmut Marko over team performance.

Despite the drama, Verstappen has a strong track record in Jeddah, having won in 2022 and 2024. He’ll be eager to return to form this weekend. Tsunoda, on the other hand, will focus on scoring solid points and strengthening his position within the team.



Mercedes Momentum: Russell Shines, Antonelli Grows

George Russell impressed once again with a P2 finish in Bahrain, holding off Norris in the final laps. With three podiums in four races, he’ll aim to extend his strong form. Rookie Kimi Antonelli also shone in qualifying, though a strategic blunder compromised his race. He’ll be hoping for a clean weekend and a shot at his first F1 points.


Ferrari’s Next Step: Hamilton Adapts, Leclerc Targets Podium

Ferrari introduced an upgrade package in Bahrain – which Lewis Hamilton praised – saying he’s beginning to better understand the car’s behaviour. He hopes to convert that knowledge into a stronger result in Jeddah. Charles Leclerc, who finished P4 the last time around, is also targeting a podium finish.



Williams Regroup: Sainz and Albon Aim to Rebound

After a frustrating weekend in Bahrain filled with penalties and missed opportunities, Williams will look to return to the points. Carlos Sainz was handed four penalty points for two incidents, while Alex Albon narrowly missed out on a top-10 finish. Both drivers are motivated to rebound and regain momentum.

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Haas on the Rise: Ocon and Bearman Impress Again

Haas had a surprisingly strong showing in Bahrain, with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman finishing 8th and 10th respectively to finish in the points. Another double-points finish would be a huge achievement for the American team. Bearman also made his F1 debut at this circuit last year, finishing ahead of Norris and Hamilton.

“It’s difficult to predict exactly how the VF-25 will perform in Jeddah”, said Ayao Komatsu

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Lawson Under Pressure: Crucial Weekend Ahead

Liam Lawson has yet to score a point this season and has underperformed in all four races so far. With Red Bull’s known impatience toward underperforming drivers, Lawson will be under pressure to deliver. Teammate Isack Hadjar, on the other hand, has shown promising race pace and consistency.

Liam Lawson looks on in his cockpit during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA – APRIL 17: Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls looks on in his cockpit during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 17, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202504171383 // Usage for editorial use only //


Aston Martin and Alpine’s Recovery

Aston Martin is still searching for form in 2025. Fernando Alonso has yet to score a point this season, while Lance Stroll has managed two points finishes out of four races. They’ll be looking to break into the top 10 in Jeddah.

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Alpine had their best showing of the season in Bahrain, with Pierre Gasly finishing just shy of sixth place and Jack Doohan close behind. The French outfit hopes to build on that momentum this weekend.



Sauber’s Search for Stability

Sauber has had a disappointing start to the season. Nico Hülkenberg’s only points came from the chaotic Australian Grand Prix, while Gabriel Bortoleto is still searching for form after four underwhelming races.

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Weekend Schedule




Weather Forecast

Friday: 31°C, wind speeds up to 16 km/h

Saturday: 32°C, wind speeds up to 14 km/h

Sunday: 33°C, wind speeds up to 18 km/h

The stable conditions will allow teams to collect consistent data across all sessions.

Desi Racing Co. is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

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Formula 1

Oscar Piastri Perfects Bahrain Masterclass as McLaren Clinches Double Podium

Drama, divebombs, strategy shake-ups, and a weekend to remember under the Sakhir lights.

Published

1 week ago

on

April 15, 2025

By

Oscar Piastri with his winners trophy at the podium of the Bahrain Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri executes his race to perfection, George Russell holds off Brit Lando Norris for P2, Ferrari makes offset strategy work, RedBull Pitstop Woes, Alpine Shock, Race-altering strategy calls, thrilling divebombs, we saw it ALL this weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

McLaren Dominate: Piastri’s Perfection, Lando’s Recovery

Embed from Getty Images

Oscar Piastri delivered a flawless drive to take his fourth Formula 1 victory, converting pole into a controlled race win for McLaren. Despite briefly surrendering the lead during pit stop cycles, the Australian dominated the race from start to finish, showcasing calm execution and strategic awareness.

This result also marked McLaren’s 192nd win as a constructor, and with the maximum points haul, Piastri reduced his deficit to teammate Lando Norris in the Drivers’ Championship to just three points.

On the other side of the garage, Norris had a tougher start. A disappointing qualifying session saw him line up P6, and a 5-second grid penalty was handed to him after he overshot his grid box—a mistake noticed by title rival Max Verstappen.

At lights out, Lando had a blazing start, jumping all the way up to P3 on Lap 1. Lando was unable to get past George Russell for Second place before the first round of pit stops, serving his penalty in the pits, he came out behind Charles Leclerc after all the softs runners had completed their pitstops, being able to overtake Charles on New Medium Tires put him behind the Mercedes-ran George Russell once again. The chase for P2 went on till the last lap of the race, where George ultimately held on to the second spot on the podium.

Mercedes Prevail Despite Technical Issues

Both the Mercedes Drivers had a stellar Saturday, with George Russel and Kimi Antonelli Qualifying P2 and P4 respectively, but a post-qualifying penalty for the pair of them dropped them to P3 and P4.

George had a good start to the race, jumping ahead of Leclerc’s Ferrari into P2, and he stayed in P2 crossing the chequered flag after 57 laps. However, it was easier said than done for the Brit. Following a mid-race Safety Car caused by debris on the track, George Russell was faced with the challenge of taking a scrub set of softs for 20 laps to the end, whilst almost every driver around him bar the Ferraris were on Mediums.

To add to the challenge his tires presented, he had multiple issues hampering his performance.

“It felt all under control for a moment, then suddenly we had a brake-by-wire failure, so the pedal was going long, then it was going short… I didn’t know what was going on… the steering wheel wasn’t working properly,” Russell explained.

He also had a DRS issue, where it had randomly opened whilst not in any DRS zone and also whilst he wasn’t within 1 second of any car ahead of him. Whether this is going to be a recurring issue for Mercedes, or a one-off, is something that we will get to know more about in the foreseeable future.

Oscar Piastri Perfects Bahrain Masterclass as McLaren Clinches Double Podium
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli on Saturday – Wolfgang Wilhelm


Kimi Antonelli on the other hand followed his career-best Qualifying Performance in P4 on track, which converted to P5 following his one-place grid penalty. He had a mediocre race start dropping him behind Carlos Sainz in P6. He stayed there for most of the race, later trailing behind Esteban Ocon in the Haas. Ultimately, he finished in P11 after a strategic miscalculation on behalf of Mercedes.


Ferrari’s Strategy Debate

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton started P2 and P9 respectively, both of them were notably on the Medium Compound Tires, whilst almost everyone else was on Softs. Charles Leclerc had his eyes on Polesitter Oscar Piastri but an underwhelming start dropped him down to P4 on Lap 1.

The Men in Red went long on their first stint of medium tires, resulting in them running 1-2 for lap 16-18. Before Charles’ In-lap, we were able to hear discussions about the strategy for Charles Leclerc. Leclerc wanted the Italian Outfit to consider moving to “Plan Delta” rather than the Ferrari-insisted “Plan Bravo”.

During the Safety Car Period, Both the Ferraris had to use the Hard Tires, to finish the race which was notably despised by 4-Time WDC Max Verstappen. Following a late race effort by Charles Leclerc to defend P3 from WDC Leader Lando Norris, it was a valiant effort from Leclerc but his defence could only last so many laps.

Lewis Hamilton had another day of learning, he managed to finish P5 behind his teammate, resulting in a decent point haul for Ferrari.



Pitstop Woes Haunt Red Bull

Following Verstappen’s masterclass at the Japanese Grand Prix, There were high hopes from the Red Bull Team. However, throughout the weekend, Red Bull struggled to find a good balance in the car. They had a disappointing qualifying and race overall, with Max qualifying in P7 behind his title-rival Lando Norris, and Yuki Tsunoda lining up 3 positions behind in P10.

The disappointment followed in the race, with slow pitstops for the pair of them caused by a LED malfunction of the pit box lights, holding up the drivers for 2 seconds more than it should have. Red Bull opted for the Hard tires on Verstappen’s car. Clear messages were heard on the radio about how the tires were not a good race tire, holding max up in traffic. Come the finish line, Verstappen pipped Alpine-driven by 1.3 Seconds to come home in P6, limiting the damage.

Recently promoted Yuki Tsunoda maintained his P10 position at the start, and was on a decent race until a collision with the Williams of Carlos Sainz almost hampered his performance. Luckily, Yuki was able to continue the race and secure the first points for a Red Bull Second Driver since Las Vegas 2024.



Alpine Shock The Grid

Pierre Gasly had a shock qualifying, dragging the Alpine car into Q3 and lining up on the Second Row!

Jack Doohan also had a brilliant one-lap pace in Q1, but unfortunately fell short and qualified just short of a Q3 appearance in P11.

At the race start, Pierre Gasly was jumped by Lando Norris. He was able to hold off Kimi Antonelli for a few laps before letting go of P5. Other than that, it was a clean and good race for the Frenchman and a decent points haul as well for finishing in P7. This is a good sign of progress for the French Team showing that they can be competitive come the right conditions.

Haas’ Mega Comeback To The Points

From P20 to P10, Oliver Bearman drove a sensational recovery race. His Haas teammate, Esteban Ocon, climbed from P15 to P8, making it a double-point finish for the American team—an incredible turnaround from a tough qualifying session.



Tricky Day For Williams

Albon Qualified P16, but a delayed lap time deletion of Nico Hulkenberg promoted him up to P15, unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to participate in Q2 because of how late the lap time was deleted. In the race, he moved up 3 positions, finishing P12, being slightly shy of the points-paying positions.

Carlos Sainz excelled in qualifying and looked more comfortable in the car than his teammate for the first time this season. He qualified P8 and was looking forward to bagging home some points for his new team.

Throughout the race, he battled hard with Yuki Tsunoda and also collided with him at T2 on Lap 28, giving him considerable damage on his right side-pod, ultimately ending his race.
Some debris had come off the Williams car, bringing out a Mid-Race Safety Car on Lap 34.
The fight with Tsunoda gave Sainz 2x 10 Second Time Penalty of which 1 was left un-served. It will carry on as a grid penalty for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.



Underwhelming Race for Aston Martin and Racing Bulls

Both the Aston Martin Cars just did not have the performance in the car this weekend to bring out any points. Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso qualified P19 and P13 respectively, and crossed the finish line in P17 and P15 respectively.

For the Racing Bulls Team, Isack Hadjar qualified in P12, shy of a Q3 appearance. Liam Lawson had a DRS issue on his final Q1 run, holding him back from improving his laptime. Hence, leaving him P17.

There was not much to note from either of the cars, other than Hadjar trying to fight for the wooden spoon of the points.

Sauber Goes Back To The Drawing Board

Both the Saubers started closer to the back of the grid with Nico Hulkenberg starting P16 and Gabriel Bortoleto starting 2 positions behind in P18. They did not make much progress throughout the race, staying in the latter positions for most of the time.

A post-race disqualification for Nico Hulkenberg for Planck-Wear just added salt to the wound for the Sauber Team.


Overall Weekend Summary

The weekend was an overtake galore along with chaos and drama, Track Limits violations were awarded a whopping 36 times throughout the race. Red Bull’s progress through the field was affected by their pitstop woes. Lando still leads the WDC by 3 points over his teammate, and McLaren leads Mercedes in the constructors by 58 points.



What to expect coming into Saudi Arabia

Come the next week, The Formula 1 Season move to the Fast-Sweeping and Dangerous Street Circuit of Jeddah, where drivers will need to be at the limit at all times if they want a chance to finish high up considering how close the grid is. The track is known for having at least 1 red flag and/or Safety Cars. The track has the Second- Fastest average speed, being 250kmph. It also features the most corners on any track with 27 corners.

Desi Racing Co is dedicated to bringing the latest updates and insights from the world of motorsport. Whether it’s Formula 1, Formula 2, WEC, MotoGP, Indian motorsports, or other racing series, we’ve got you covered! Stay connected with us for in-depth motorsport coverage. Follow us on Twitter/X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to keep up with the latest motorsport news and updates.

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