MIAMI, Fl. – After a brilliant start to its 75th season in Australia, Formula One ushered its constructors and drivers to the Shanghai International Circuit this past weekend for Round 2 at the Chinese Grand Prix. Having returned to the F1 race calendar last season after a four-year absence, China offered yet another reminder of the evolving nature of motorsport as teams rose and fell during the jam-packed weekend. Offering the first of 2025’s six “sprint” races, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton returned to the top of the podium in the sprint format, whereas Mclaren’s Oscar Piastri took P1 in the feature race.
Ferrari Fiasco
One of the biggest storylines entering this season was the historic pairing of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and F1’s most historic team on the grid: Ferrari. Since its founding back in 1929, “The Prancing Horse” has won a record 16 Constructors’ Championships and 15 Drivers’ Championships. However, the team synonymous with winning has struggled to produce a championship-contending car and driver pairing since 2007, a 17-year drought that has worn on all who support the Scuderia.
Similar to his new team, Hamilton is also in search of rekindled glory, looking to win a record-setting eighth world championship before he, in all likelihood, walks away from motorsport. Having achieved a dynasty of winning at Mercedes, the Briton believed a change of scenery was needed after the German-backed constructor seemingly lost an edge in car performance dating back to the introduction of the current regulations in 2022.
After a poor start in Melbourne, where both Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc finished P10 and P8, respectively, Ferrari hoped to rebound in Shanghai. In the Sprint Race, Hamilton offered a glimpse of what could be a partnership etched in history, as he secured the sprint pole position the day prior ahead of reigning world champion Max Verstappen and then led the 19-lap excursion from start to finish.
However, any satisfaction the team felt on Saturday was completely erased on Sunday, as pace for the Feature Race seemed to slip away from the Ferraris. Having to manage their tires on the degradation-heavy track, Hamilton and Leclerc were only able to manage a P5 and P6 finish. Misfortune soon followed for the pair, as both cars were disqualified from the race for separate technical infringements.
With the erasure of the points earned in the main race on Sunday, the Italian team is now 61 points back from Mclaren in the constructors standings, whereas Hamilton and Leclerc are 35 and 36 points down on Lando Norris in the drivers’ championship. If Ferrari and Hamilton wish to return to the winners circle of Formula One, these issues will have to be worked out quickly to regain footing in both championship battles.
Menacing Mclaren
If the racing red of Ferrari struggled to find success Sunday, the papaya orange of Mclaren proved to be dominant once more, securing the 1-2 podium finish that eluded them in Australia. However, it wasn’t the championship leader in Norris who took the top step at the end of Grand Prix weekend. Instead, it was Mclaren’s potential champion of the future: third-year driver Oscar Piastri.
Fans of motorsport have believed it’s a matter of “when, not if” for the young Aussie to hoist a Formula One Driver’s Championship. Piastri claimed three successive titles from 2019-2021 in the junior categories, the only driver to do so en route to a spot on the F1 grid. After spending 2022 as a test/reserve driver for Alpine and Mclaren alike, Piastri secured a longstanding contract with the papaya. With two seasons in an F1 car now under his belt, Mclaren proved once again their belief in the 23-year-old, extending the driver until the end of the 2028 season.
After falling victim to the rain showers of Melbourne to ultimately finish P9 in the season opener, Piastri rebounded in Shanghai. Starting with the Sprint Race on Saturday, Piastri managed a P2 finish after securing one of the only overtakes in the 19-lap affair. Then, later that same afternoon, the Aussie secured his first pole position in F1 after qualifying with a blazing lap time of 1:30.641. In the Feature Race, Piastri executed a flawless 59 laps behind the wheel, and with his team supplying an excellent one-stop strategy, the young driver crossed the finish line for his third P1 finish ever.
Having earned an astounding 32 points from the weekend, Piastri has entered the title picture resting at fourth place, now only ten points behind his teammate Norris, who sits in first. If the MCL39 continues to perform like the dominating car that it has been through two rounds, perhaps it will be the young Australian to come out on top between the talented pair under the Mclaren banner.
Final Thoughts
Though perhaps not the nip-and-tuck battle that was seen in Australia, the Chinese Grand Prix continued to provide intrigue and entertainment in what will likely be a battle to the finish between drivers and teams in 2025. Two rounds have come and gone, and still, 22 remain in a second-to-none schedule of Formula One fans of motorsport won’t want to miss.
F1’s third round of action will be April 3-6 for the Japanese Grand Prix.