China GP: Disappointing pace from Ferrari / Formula 1

Charles Leclerc had set his sights on a podium finish ahead of the GP in China. But in the end Monegasse, who started from 6th position on the third row of the grid, had to settle for fourth place. His team-mate Carlos Sainz also managed to climb two places: the Spaniard started from seventh place on the grid and crossed the finish line in fifth place.

Team boss Fred Vasseur expected it to be insufficient for a place on the podium, as he explained after the fifth GP of the year. He was still desperate. “I’m not sure we could have expected more in terms of results from our starting positions. However, I expected more speed than we showed in that race,” he admitted.

And the French engineer claimed: “We must now try to understand why it was like that. We lacked speed, especially on hard tires. We have to improve in qualifying and in the race for the next race weekend in Miami, because the gaps are now very small and hundredths of a second it can make a big difference.

And the 55-year-old explained: “We used a two-stop strategy with both drivers and Charles did a good job by extending his use to the intermediate tyres. But when the safety car phase came, we changed to a one-stop strategy. We did this hoping to be able to fight for a place on the podium.”

“Unfortunately, Carlos had stopped just before the safety car, so he also only had to deal with one stop. “That of course meant that he had to drive more carefully in the last part of the race, but he still got an excellent result,” the boss of the team, giving the 29-year-old player, who must leave the team after the current season, a good report.

China-GP, Shanghai International Circuit

01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:40:52,554 h
02. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +13,773 sec
03. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, +19,160
04. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, +23,623
05. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, +33,983
06. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, +38,724
07. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, +43,414
08. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, +56.198
09. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, +57,986
10. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, +1:00,476 min
11. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, +1:02,812
12. Alex Albon (T), Williams, +1:05,506
13. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, +1:09,223
14. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, +1:11,689
15. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, +1:22,768
16. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +1:27.553
17. Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams, +1:35,110
outside
Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Racing Bull, collision
Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bulls, Collision
Valtteri Bottas (FIN), clean, engine

World Championship Position (after 5 out of 24 Grands Prix and 1 out of 6 Sprints)

the driver
01. Verstappen 110 points
02. Perez 85
03. Leclerc 76
04. Sainz 69
05. Norris 58
06. Plate 38
07. Russell 33
08. Alonso 31
09. Hamilton 19
10. Walk 9
11. Tsunoda 7
12. Oliver Bearman (GB) 6
13. Hulkenberg 4
14. Magnussen 1
15. Alboni 0
16. Okon 0
17. Zhou 0
18. Ricciardo 0
19. 0 gas
20. Bota 0
21. Sergeant 0

Builders Cup
01. Red Bull Racing 195 Punkte
02. Ferrari 151
03. McLaren 96
04. Mercedes 52
05. Aston Martin 40
06. Running Bull 7
07. Exactly 5
08. Williams 0
09. Alpine 0
10. Sauber 0