Lewis Hamilton experienced a rollercoaster weekend as he celebrated a sprint race win for Ferrari before facing the shock of disqualification from the Chinese Grand Prix the next day, along with teammate Charles Leclerc. The weekend’s dramatic events at Ferrari stole the spotlight from Oscar Piastri’s Grand Prix victory, positioning him as a formidable contender against his McLaren teammate Lando Norris this season.
As Formula 1 gears up for the Japanese Grand Prix next week, here are five key reflections from the Shanghai events:
**Ferrari’s Urgent Need for Solutions**
The double disqualification due to technical infringements was a major setback for Ferrari, which now has two weeks to identify and address the issues ahead of the next race. Charles Leclerc’s fifth-place finish was nullified because of his car being underweight, while Lewis Hamilton’s ride-height infringement landed him in hot water. Although F1 teams push their cars to the edge, the distinct reasons for each exclusion suggest underlying problems with Ferrari’s vehicles or operational approaches. The team is committed to understanding the faults, emphasizing, “There was no intention to gain any advantage. We will learn from what happened today and make sure we don’t make the same mistakes again.” There is also speculation on how setup decisions might be affecting each driver’s performance levels. Notably, Hamilton’s car went from a sprint race-winning setup on Saturday to lagging behind Leclerc on Sunday, despite the latter’s impaired front wing.
**McLaren’s Strategy in the Title Race**
McLaren is clearly a formidable force this season. Its vehicles are easier on tires, enabling Norris and Piastri to maintain aggressive performance over extended durations. While rival teams may challenge McLaren in qualifying rounds or shorter sprint races, they struggle to keep up during longer races. Within McLaren, it’s crucial how internal policies, dubbed the “papaya rules,” manage competition between Norris and Piastri. Norris commented that both drivers had the liberty to compete in China, but he ultimately couldn’t close the gap and had to accept second place.
**Mercedes Poised as McLaren’s Main Challenger**
George Russell completed the race with no significant issues, securing third place as Mercedes positions itself as a likely contender to McLaren in terms of race pace. Despite this, the gap remains significant. Russell expressed confidence in the team’s capabilities, stating, “capable of winning every race.” Meanwhile, rookie teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli placed eighth, though Mercedes’ trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin suggested he might have contended with Max Verstappen for fourth if not for debris-induced floor damage.
**Mounting Pressure on Liam Lawson at Red Bull**
Red Bull’s Liam Lawson is under considerable pressure following a challenging start to his tenure, finishing 18th in qualifying in Australia and then crashing out. His performance worsened in China, with last-place finishes in both the sprint race and Grand Prix qualifying, resulting in no points. Red Bull’s vehicle, tailored to Verstappen’s driving profile, proved difficult for Lawson. He commented on the car’s narrow tolerance level with, “It is a very small window with this car and if you miss it, it is very penalizing.” Should Red Bull decide to replace him after just two performances, Yuki Tsunoda might step up for the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix, a significant event for his home audience.
**Haas Achieves a Noteworthy Upsurge**
In an unexpected twist, Haas delivered a remarkable recovery in Shanghai, rivaling Hamilton’s journey from 10th in Australia to a sprint race triumph. Previously trailing significantly behind even slower teams in Australia, Haas rectified its setup problems, culminating in Esteban Ocon and rookie Oliver Bearman finishing fifth and eighth, respectively, amassing 14 points. This marks a greater points haul than their entire first 10 races in 2024.