Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory in a Chinese Grand Prix full of incidents and overtakes, leading home McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull team mate Sergio Perez to make it four wins from five races so far this season.
Verstappen led the vast majority of a strategic encounter at the Shanghai International Circuit that featured a Virtual Safety Car and two full Safety Car periods, the Dutchman keeping his cool at the front as the drama unfolded behind him.
Norris was one of three drivers, along with Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, to complete just one pit stop, making the most of the VSC and Safety Car phases to jump Perez for second position, which he managed to hold to the finish.
Leclerc and Sainz followed in fourth and fifth respectively, despite some concerns from the Monegasque in the closing stages that his tires would not be able to make it to the end, with George Russell leading Mercedes’ charge en route to sixth (Formula1.)